The world’s most expensive stock by share price is Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A), trading at an astonishing $487,255 per share as of its peak on January 18, 2022. This record-breaking price is a result of Berkshire’s extraordinary performance under Buffett’s leadership and his decision to never split the stock, a common practice that would reduce the share price by creating additional shares.
While stock price alone doesn’t reflect a company’s total value, some investors are drawn to high-priced stocks for the exclusivity and prestige they represent. Here, we’ll explore some of the highest-priced stocks, as well as companies ranked by other measures, such as market capitalization, revenue, and size among private companies.
Key Takeaways
- Berkshire Hathaway holds the record for the highest share price in history, attributed to its steady growth and lack of stock splits.
- NVR, Seaboard Corporation, Amazon, and Alphabet also feature high share prices, though far below that of Berkshire Hathaway.
- Companies are typically valued by market capitalization (share price multiplied by shares outstanding), rather than share price alone.
Top Companies by Stock Price
- Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A): $487,255 per share (peak on January 18, 2022).
- NVR (NVR): $5,154.98 per share.
- Seaboard Corporation (SEB): $3,731.02 per share.
- Amazon (AMZN): $2,852.86 per share (as of January 2022).
- Alphabet, Inc. (GOOG): $2,607.03 per share.
Top Companies by Market Capitalization
Market capitalization, a measure of a company’s total value, is calculated by multiplying the share price by the number of outstanding shares. As of January 2022, here are some of the largest companies by market cap:
- Apple (AAPL): $2.652 trillion
- Microsoft (MSFT): $2.222 trillion
- Alphabet (GOOGL): $1.725 trillion
- Amazon (AMZN): $1.446 trillion
- Tesla (TSLA): $947.92 billion
- Meta (META), formerly Facebook: $843.34 billion
In the past, Chinese energy company PetroChina briefly surpassed a $1 trillion market value in 2007. However, this valuation was short-lived, and as of January 2022, PetroChina’s market capitalization was approximately $146.95 billion.
Top Companies by Revenue
Revenue provides another way to rank companies. According to the Fortune 500 list, the largest companies by revenue as of 2021 include:
- Walmart (WMT): $523.96 billion
- State Grid: $383.91 billion
- Amazon (AMZN): $280.52 billion
- China National Petroleum: $379.13 billion
- Sinopec Group: $407.01 billion
- Apple (AAPL): $260.17 billion
- CVS Health: $256.78 billion
Largest Private Companies in the U.S.
Private companies aren’t traded on public exchanges and are typically more challenging to value. According to Forbes, the largest private U.S. companies by revenue include:
- Cargill: $134.4 billion in annual revenues, 155,000 employees
- Koch Industries: $115 billion in revenues, 122,000 employees
- Publix Super Markets: $44.9 billion in revenue, 227,000 employees
- Mars: $40 billion in revenue
- H-E-B: $32.8 billion in revenue
Why is Berkshire Hathaway So Expensive?
Berkshire Hathaway’s share price is a reflection of Buffett’s philosophy of growing the company over time and avoiding stock splits. By not splitting the stock, Berkshire Hathaway has retained its high share price, which serves as a testament to its steady growth and long-term value creation. Additionally, the high share price has contributed to Berkshire’s reputation as an exclusive and stable investment.
While Apple and Microsoft often lead in terms of overall market value, Berkshire Hathaway’s share price remains unmatched. Apple, with its market cap exceeding $2.6 trillion, continues to be considered the most valuable publicly traded company in history. The impressive growth and exclusivity of these companies underline their impact and significance in global markets. It remains to be seen whether another company will surpass Berkshire Hathaway’s stock price or Apple’s market cap, but as these companies continue to innovate and grow, new records are always within reach.
