Kraft Heinz hits a 6-year low as Berkshire signals it may sell its 27.5% stake

What happened

Kraft Heinz ($KHC) disclosed in an SEC prospectus filing that Berkshire Hathaway could sell, from time to time, up to 325.4 million shares — essentially its full 27.5% stake (about $7.7bn based on the prior close). The headline spooked the market because a stake that large creates a supply overhang. $KHC fell about 7% intraday and touched a near 6-year low.

Context that matters

1. Overhang risk

Even if Berkshire does not sell immediately, registering the shares puts “availability” on the table, which can pressure the stock until the market has clarity on timing and pace.

2. Big strategic reset already underway

Kraft Heinz is planning to split into 2 businesses (groceries vs sauces and spreads), targeting completion in the second half of 2026. A potential Berkshire exit adds uncertainty during a major transition.

3. Why investors read this as a signal

Berkshire helped create Kraft Heinz in 2015 and has taken large write-downs on the investment. A sale would look like a high-profile “capitulation” and can change sentiment across the packaged-food space.

Winners

Rotation beneficiaries in packaged food and snacks

If investors sell $KHC but still want consumer staples exposure, money often rotates into peers with cleaner narratives, steadier execution, or better innovation.

Names: $MDLZ (Mondelez International), $GIS (General Mills), $HSY (The Hershey Company)

Value and private-label friendly retailers

Reuters notes $KHC has faced rising competition and consumer pushback. If shoppers keep trading down, retailers with strong private label and scale can benefit.

Names: $WMT (Walmart), $COST (Costco Wholesale), $KR (Kroger)

Deal and restructuring advisory ecosystem

A planned corporate split plus any secondary sale logistics can drive advisory, underwriting, and trading revenue (even if timing is gradual).

Names: $GS (Goldman Sachs), $MS (Morgan Stanley), $JPM (JPMorgan Chase)

Losers

Kraft Heinz and Berkshire stake-overhang angle

The market worries about a large block of potential supply and headline-driven selling pressure during a strategic split.

Names: $KHC (The Kraft Heinz Company), $BRK.B (Berkshire Hathaway)

Legacy packaged-food names with similar “re-rate risk”

A Berkshire exit headline can make investors re-check the whole aisle for brands seen as slower-growth, highly promoted, or less innovative.

Names: $CPB (Campbell Soup Company), $K (Kellanova), $SJM (The J.M. Smucker Company)

Processed-protein and shelf-stable brands exposed to weak category sentiment

If the market narrative becomes “center-of-store pressure plus tougher competition,” adjacent branded food names can catch sympathy selling.

Names: $HRL (Hormel Foods), $TSN (Tyson Foods)

What to watch next

* Any updates on the pace, structure, or counterparties of Berkshire’s potential sales (gradual selling vs block trades).

* Details and milestones on the planned 2-way split (timeline, which brands go where, and margin targets).

* Management credibility under the incoming CEO and whether strategy shifts from cost-cutting to growth and innovation.

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