Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting’s pregame is nothing short of an extravaganza.
Thousands of Berkshire shareholders flocked to Omaha, Nebraska, this weekend for the annual meeting Saturday. Before hearing from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, investors gathered in a sprawling convention center to explore exhibits featuring the conglomerate’s holdings — from toy trains mimicking BNSF Railway rolling stock, Berkshire chocolate coins from See’s Candies to Buffett-branded Brooks athleisure.
The so-called “Berkshire Bazaar of Bargains” is a tradition at the Oracle of Omaha’s annual event. Only those with a shareholder credential can participate and they can shop at a discount in the CHI Health Center.
CNBC will host the exclusive livestream of the shareholder meeting on Saturday starting at 9:45 am ET.
See’s Candies
The sweets at See’s Candies attracted a big crowd at the “Woodstock for Capitalist.” Two hits of the day were Berkshire chocolate coins and Buffett’s favorite: chocolate walnut fudge.
The Bookworm
“Poor Charlie’s Almanack” (the third edition of Munger’s advice book) was for sale at The Bookworm, a bookstore chain owned by Berkshire. Admirers can also buy a collection of Berkshire Hathaway letters to shareholders from 1965 to 2014.
Check out the gecko
The Geico gecko advertising icon was present to entertain shareholders. Buffett first bought shares of the auto insurer in 1996.
Buffett sneakers & socks
Shoppers snagged Buffett-branded sneakers, T-shirts and socks at Brooks’ booth. The sportswear company is also co-hosting a 5K run with Berkshire in downtown Omaha on Sunday morning.
Jimmy Buffett’s party boat
Shareholders could buy a boat designed by singer Jimmy Buffett at the event for nearly $200,000 at a 10% discount. The boats, manufactured by Berkshire subsidiary Forest River, are in production after 14 months of developing with the 75-year-old Buffett.
BNSF Railway model
Toy trains mimicked Berkshire’s BNSF Railway rolling stock. BNSF is one of the largest freight railroads in North America.
Duracell
Shareholders were lining up to get in battery maker Duracell’s truck with a Buffett mannequin in the driver’s seat. Berkshire closed its deal to buy Duracell from Procter & Gamble in February 2016.
Pampered chef
A cardboard cutout of Buffett in an apron welcomed shareholders at kitchen tools company Pampered Chef.
At Berkshire’s shareholder shopping day, investors gathered in a sprawling convention center to explore exhibits featuring the conglomerate’s holdings.