Since launching a new stake in the U.S. oil producer Occidental Petroleum ( OXY -2.09%), Berkshire has bought the stock like there is no tomorrow. Occidental is the sixth-largest position in Berkshire's portfolio, and Berkshire now owns over 28% of outstanding shares.

Many experienced economists and investors today take inspiration from Warren Buffett’s strategies. His focus on value investing played a key role in building his fortune.

Warren Buffett is widely considered the greatest investor. From 1965 through 2023, his conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, delivered an astounding 4,384,748% total return to shareholders, or nearly 20% on an annualized basis.

If you know anything about Warren Buffett, you probably greatly admire how he has increased the value of his company, Berkshire Hathaway, by an annual average of nearly 20% over close to 60 years. Buffett has bought many great companies outright and has invested in the stock of other companies.

As of the third quarter of 2024, Berkshire owned 118,610,534 shares of Chevron, and the company’s annual dividend of $6.52 per share translates to a staggering $773.3 million in dividend income for Buffett’s firm this year.

Buffett invested in Heinz in 2013 and two years later, Heinz merged with Kraft Foods. He bought 326 million shares during this merger at a cost of around $24.6 billion. He has held on to that stake, which is now worth $11.4 billion.

Warren Buffett isn't known for his growth investing. Most experts would classify him as a value investor. But as Buffett has reminded us in the past, value investors aren't just about buying cheap stocks. They're interested in buying companies at a discount to their future valuation, even if that means paying a premium today.