Cash Is King: Why Microsoft, Google, and Berkshire Hathaway Deserve Your Attention in 2026
π° The Power of Cash in an Era of Rapid Change
In the AI era, technology evolves at lightning speed. Today's innovation could be obsolete tomorrow. In such an uncertain environment, what's the most powerful weapon?
Cash.
Companies with massive cash reserves can:
- ποΈ Make enormous infrastructure investments
- π¬ Outspend competitors on R&D
- π Threatening competitor? Just acquire them
Today, let's look at three companies that best demonstrate the power of cash.
π Berkshire Hathaway: Warren Buffett's Final Gift
Berkshire Hathaway is a special case. It's less a single company than an ETF in itself.
Berkshire by the Numbers
- π΅ Cash and cash equivalents: $382 billion (Q3 2025)
- π Operating earnings: $13.5 billion (up 34% year-over-year)
- π Outperforms the S&P 500, with defensive capabilities even in market downturns
Should You Worry About Warren Buffett's Retirement?
At the end of 2025, news of Warren Buffett's retirement worried many investors. But I actually see this as a positive.
Buffett himself said:
"I expect Berkshire's long-term prospects to be even better under Greg Abel's leadership, and I plan to keep my entire Berkshire stake."
Buffett is a smart man. If he thought Berkshire would decline after his departure, he would have sold his shares long ago. His decision to keep his stake is a strong vote of confidence in the company's future.
π» Microsoft: The Majesty of $100 Billion in Cash
Microsoft is one of those companies I want to invest in forever. Let me explain why in five points.
5 Reasons to Invest in Microsoft
-
πͺ Financial Strength
- Cash reserves over $100 billion
- Consistent dividend payments
- Active share buybacks
-
π Recurring Revenue Machine
- Office 365, Teams subscription services
- Stable and predictable revenue structure
-
βοΈ Cloud Dominance
- Azure powers businesses worldwide
- Maintaining continuous growth
-
π€ AI Integration
- Partnership with OpenAI
- AI features embedded across products
-
π Massive Ecosystem
- Gaming (Xbox, Activision Blizzard)
- Software (Windows, Office)
- Social (LinkedIn)
- Cloud (Azure)
- Risk diversification through multiple revenue streams
Point 5 is particularly important. Microsoft was already thriving before AI. AI is just a catalyst that will make this company even better.
π Google (Alphabet): From Undervalued to Revalued
Google's stock surged this year. Great news for those who loaded up on Google last year and early this year.
Will ChatGPT Kill Google?
I get this question a lot, and the short answer is "No."
Reason 1: Search is bigger than AI chatbots
- ChatGPT is a conversational tool
- Google Search is the gateway to the entire internet
- Links, shopping, maps, news, real-time info β ChatGPT can't replace these
Reason 2: Google owns AI too
- Bard, Gemini
- AI integrated into search and ads
- The idea that "ChatGPT = AI, Google = outdated" is wrong
Reason 3: $200 billion in annual ad revenue
- Even if ChatGPT changes some user behavior
- Advertisers still spend on search, YouTube, and display networks
Reason 4: Massive ecosystem
- Gmail, Maps, Android, Chrome
- Users are locked into this ecosystem
- One AI chatbot replacing Google is extremely difficult
Watch This: Waymo
Something people don't talk about enough: Waymo, Google's autonomous robotaxi business. When this goes mainstream? Google will soar again.
π‘οΈ Cybersecurity Essential: CrowdStrike
Having discussed AI and big tech, let's mention the guardian that protects them.
Why CrowdStrike?
-
π Structural Growth
- Businesses and governments migrating to cloud
- Hybrid work expansion
- Attack surface keeps expanding
-
π³ Subscription-Based Revenue
- Stable, recurring revenue
- Ongoing relationships, not one-time sales
-
π High Switching Costs
- Replacing cybersecurity solutions is difficult and expensive
- Low customer churn rates
-
π¬ Continuous Innovation
- Cloud-native threat detection
- AI-powered security
- Global threat intelligence
Cybersecurity isn't a fad. As digitalization advances, this sector will continue to grow.
π― Key Summary
| Company | Strength | Investment Point |
|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Hathaway | $382B cash | Stability, downside protection |
| Microsoft | Diversified ecosystem | AI + Cloud + Recurring revenue |
| Search monopoly + Waymo | Ad revenue + Autonomous driving | |
| CrowdStrike | Subscription model | Structural security demand |
π‘ Final Thoughts
Having lots of cash isn't just about having money. It means having the power to respond to an uncertain future.
- Competitor emerges? Acquire them.
- Need new technology? Develop it or buy it.
- Recession hits? Survive it.
This is exactly why cash-rich companies are attractive for long-term investing.
Of course, all investments carry risk. This is not investment adviceβalways make decisions based on your own research.
Invest wisely! π