SEPTEMBER 26, 2011, 10:12 AMMERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Berkshire Hathaway to Buy Back Shares

BY DEALBOOK

Charles Dharapak/Associated PressWarren E. Buffett, chief of Berkshire Hathaway.

It looks as if Berkshire Hathaway’s “elephant gun” of $43 billion in cash will also be pointed at itself.

Warren E. Buffett’s company announced on Monday that its board had authorized the repurchase of the company’s class A and class B shares at premium of as much as 10 percent over the current book value.

The company did not disclose how big the buyback would be, but said the repurchases would not be made if they reduced Berkshire’s cash holdings below $20 billion.

The cash war chest was highlighted in February, when Mr. Buffett told investors he was on the hunt for acquisitions. “Our elephant gun has been reloaded, and my trigger finger is itchy,” he wrote.As of June 30, Berkshire had more than $43 billion in cash.

The use of cash for share buybacks is unusual for Berkshire, which has preferred to use it for acquisitions.

Berkshire Hathaway’s class A and class B shares.

In its 2000 annual letter, the company said “we will not repurchase shares unless we believe Berkshire stock is selling well below intrinsic value,conservatively calculated.”

Shares of Berkshire, however, have slumped this year. The class A shares are down 12.2 percent, while the class B shares are down nearly 10 percent.