by Jonathan Stempel
OMAHA, Nebraska, April 30 (Reuters) – Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett said on Saturday the U.S. holding company held a 9.5% stake in Activision Blizzard, a majority stake acquired after the announcement by Microsoft of the takeover of the video game publisher for the record sum of 68.7 billion dollars (59.5 billion euros).
The 91-year-old businessman revealed this investment at the Berkshire Hathaway general meeting, which was held for the first time in “person” since 2019 Omaha, Nebraska.
Alongside Warren Buffett, his right-hand man Charlie Munger, 98, as well as Vice-President Greg Abel, Buffett’s runner-up.
Berkshire Hathaway’s stake in the publisher of the “Call of Duty”, “Overwatch” or “Candy Crush” franchises is worth $5.6 billion.
The American computer giant Microsoft announced last January 18 its intention to buy Activision Blizzard.
The Federal Trade Commission (TFC), the American public agency responsible for controlling anti-competitive business practices, must examine the validity of the operation. (Report Jonathan Stempel Omaha, Nebraska; Megan Davies New York, French version Sophie Louet)