Berkshire Hathaway reports new stake in Becton Dickinson

Warren Buffett might have slowed his stock purchases of late to focus on providing financing to certain distressed companies, but that doesn't mean the Oracle of Omaha's portfolio has been stagnant. Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A) equity portfolio rose to $48.95 billion according to an SEC filing, including a new stake in medical instrument and supply company Becton, Dickinson & Co. (BDX).

Berkshire reduced its holdings in auto dealership CarMax (KMX), electrical equipment company Eaton (ETN), health care providers Wellpoint (WLP) and UnitedHealth (UNH), and Home Depot (HD), though holdings in competing home improvement retailer Lowe's (LOW) remained steady. The SEC filing only provides a snapshot of Berkshire's equity positions as of June 30, so it does not include any actions taken since then. Previously, Buffett has also been granted waivers when he is still accumulating a stock, so that his disclosure does not inspire copy-cat buying.