Warren Buffett acquired Berkshire Hathaway back in 1965. Over the first few decades of operation, the company soared in value. In the 1980s, for example, Berkshire stock rose in value by at least 30% most years, with annual returns reaching as high as 90%.

Berkshire Hathaway sold a whopping $75 billion in various stocks and continues to sell. Read more on why Buffett and Co. are taking this strategy.

Shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Cl B slipped 0.05% to $459.98 Monday, on what proved to be an all-around positive trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index rising 0.77% to 5,859.85 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B), one of the largest companies in the world, has two classes of shares. The original Class A shares have been around since Berkshire went public and have enjoyed an incredible run, with each share now trading at a good deal more than a half-million dollars.