After Buffett "hands over the baton," Berkshire (BRK) makes a large-scale bottom-fishing, do retail investors gamble on the enduring faith in the "stock god"?

According to Zhitong Finance APP, on Monday, retail investors poured over $24 million into Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares (BRK.B.US), demonstrating that investors are not just fanatically devoted to Warren Buffett, but also casting a vote of confidence for the incoming CEO Greg Abel. Data from Vanda Research shows that during the trading day, day traders injected approximately $24.4 million into Berkshire B shares, marking the highest net inflow for the stock since 2016. However, on Monday, the company's stock price fell more than 5%, marking the third-largest single-day decline in five years.

Last Saturday, Buffett announced his intention to step down as CEO by the end of the year, with Abel taking over, shocking the investment community. On Tuesday, the company's stock price rose slightly. Despite the drop on Monday, the stock is still up over 13% in 2025, while the S&P 500 index has fallen 4%.

When Buffett initially announced this news, tens of thousands of shareholders were flocking to Omaha for the annual shareholder meeting, a tradition that has been in place for the 60 years Buffett has led this massive conglomerate. Shareholders idolize the "Oracle of Omaha," with attendees wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with his likeness.

As the Q&A session with shareholders was coming to a close on Saturday, Buffett stated, "I think the time has come for Greg to become the CEO of the company by the end of the year."

For the average person, Buffett is seen as one of the most successful investment advocates—especially through a disciplined and value-centered perspective. The inflow of funds on Monday may surprise some market observers, as the conventional view holds that retail traders would be uneasy about the departure of the long-time steward of the company.

However, the net inflow of funds on Monday was more than three times that of last Friday, highlighting a surge in investor interest in the stock following the announcement. This also marks the fourth-largest single-day net increase for the stock since Vanda began collecting data in 2014.

Now, investors are wondering what the next steps for Berkshire will be under Abel's leadership. Abel has not demonstrated particularly outstanding stock-picking abilities, which is what has made Buffett a rock star in the eyes of ordinary investors. However, Buffett has stated that he intends to "stick around," and the board's vote to allow him to continue as chairman may provide them with some comfort Warren Buffett is the largest investor in Berkshire, holding stocks worth over $160 billion. He also stated that he would not sell any shares of Berkshire. Berkshire is a $1.2 trillion giant that he built from a bankrupt textile company. During the meeting, he praised Abel, which may help alleviate attendees' concerns about the future direction.

Buffett said, "The decision to retain all stocks is an economic decision because I believe that under Greg's management, Berkshire's prospects will be better than mine."

Since the passing of Buffett's old friend and business partner Charlie Munger in 2023, Buffett's future has become particularly important to shareholders. In the letter to shareholders released in February, he announced that he had begun to walk with a cane and that "soon" Abel would take over writing the annual memo.

Small investors may also hope that if the economic situation becomes severe in the future, Berkshire Hathaway will become a safe haven. On the Friday before the meeting, retail investors helped push Berkshire Hathaway's stock price to record levels. Berkshire has over $330 billion in cash on hand, enough to buy all but 23 of the components in the S&P 500 index. Perhaps retail investors are betting on Buffett, who has historically bought the most stocks when others are most fearful, leaving one last cheap deal before he stops investing