There is one stock he has never sold since buying in 1991, though: American Express ( AXP -0.20%). Buffett owns over 20% of the credit card issuer and bank, making it the second-largest position in the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio. The position trades at a value of $40 billion as of this writing.

Plenty of big-time investors have made a name for themselves over the years, but arguably none have become as big of a household name as Warren Buffett. Thanks to personal achievements and the success of his company,

Warren Buffett has recently engaged in a significant sell-off of stocks while amassing a substantial cash reserve. Learn how investor wariness can impact hiring.

It's never a bad idea to borrow an idea -- or two, or more -- from the world's most successful all-around stock picker.

Warren Buffett is stockpiling cash. His Berkshire Hathaway holding company continued to sell more than it bought in the third quarter when it offloaded a quarter of its stake in Apple, regulatory filings revealed Thursday.