Warren Buffett and Billionaires Are Crazy About These 6 Stocks

Unfazed by the cryptocurrency rush
Billionaire investors don’t seem to have been impressed by the recent cryptocurrency fever, as the next two stocks are very popular among them. Although digital currencies are supposed to directly compete with classical payment methods, blockchain, the underlying technology that makes Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies work, could become an asset for Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA). Back in October 2017, Mastercard opened up its blockchain to certain banks and vendors as an alternative payment method, although it’s only available for businesses, for the time being, and requires an invitation. In November, Visa rolled out a similar business-to-business payment service, called B2B connect.

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Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) has registered a boost in popularity among billionaire fund managers, with 18 of them having reported a stake in the company at the end of the third quarter, up from 15 at the end of the second quarter. Leading the pack was Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway with a stake that amounted to 4.93 million shares, unchanged from the previous quarter. Not far behind was Stephen Mandel’s Lone Pine Capital, which has reported a slight reduction in its stake to 4.49 million shares. Andreas Halvorsen is very bullish on this stock, having greatly increased his fund’s bet over the third quarter. According to its latest regulatory filings, Viking Global holds 2.15 million shares of Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA).

So, what do billionaire fund managers think about Visa Inc (NYSE:V)? They like the company a lot. Together with Warren Buffett, 19 billionaires had this stock in their portfolio at the end of September 2017, unchanged from the previous quarter. Andreas Halvorsen is a big fan of this stock, having boosted his fund’s investment by 30% and made it his third largest equity position at the end of the quarter. According to its latest 13F filing, Viking held a little over 10.2 million shares, just shy of Warren Buffett’s position. Berkshire Hathaway reportedly held 10.6 million shares, unchanged from the previous quarter. Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group has initiated a fresh bet on Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and has acquired 3.73 million shares during the third quarter.