Follow all of Warren Buffett’s key comments at the Berkshire annual meeting

Shareholders began lining up in the early morning hours for a shot at the best seats in Omaha’s CHI Health Center.

Attendees near the front told CNBC they gathered as early as 1 a.m. local time.

As has become an unofficial tradition, participants could be seen sprinting to the frontmost seats on the arena floor around 7 a.m. CT. Buffett is set to take the stage around 8 a.m. ET.

While many attendees can be seen sporting business or casual attire, some die-hard fans for Berkshire Hathaway and Buffett wear their heart on their sleeve — literally.

Nora Ridenour landed on a shirt featuring the Oracle of Omaha’s face in a variety of colors that was inspired by artist Andy Warhol. Ridenour, who came with her husband from Iowa, bought this shirt during her first trip to the meeting in 2019.

“I have a super useful art degree, so this one spoke to me,” Ridenour said.

Her husband Jay, who wore a shirt from last year’s 5-K run with an illustration of Buffett, said he enjoys coming because of the positive energy among attendees. The family has owned the stock for more than a decade.

“Everybody here is excited,” he said. “This is one of the only events that I go to where everybody is just genuinely happy to be here.”

Polliana Elena Varnier matched other business students in town. The Brazil native’s cohort had black hoodies with a black-and-white picture of Buffett sticking his tongue out.

“We love the way he thinks and the way he lives,” she said. “He’s not just an investor, he’s almost a philosophy.”

At a networking event near CHI Health Center, Tina Yin was seen in a shirt screenprinted with a picture of her and Buffett. While she met Buffett in 2017, the Hong Kong-based investor said some people inquired about the photo’s authenticity.

“They think it’s not a real photo, maybe it’s Photoshop,” Yin said, referring to the Adobe application for picture editing.

— Alex Harring

Warren Buffett has been mum about tariffs and the recent market turmoil, but will finally get a chance to speak his mind when the 94-year-old investment legend kicks off Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting.

This year’s annual meeting comes as markets have turned uncertain after President Donald Trump’s aggressive rollout of the highest tariffs on imports in generations. (Many were suspended for 90 days afterward.) Wall Street economists left and right are sounding the alarms that a recession may be in the offing, as recent data pointed to signs of economic weakening.

The world is eager to hear if Buffett, the most famous advocate of value investing, used the April market meltdown to hunt for bargains and lay the groundwork for deals. Although Buffett doesn’t make predictions of short-term market direction, investors will listen closely for any signals of his continued confidence in the U.S. economy — despite the tariff shock.

— Yun Li

CNBC will be livestreaming Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting on Saturday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Watch as Warren Buffett answers shareholder questions. The discussion will likely touch on his view of the market, what types of deals Berkshire could make in the year ahead and other key topics.

Here is a rundown of the day’s events:

8:30 a.m.- 9 a.m.: Pre-show anchored by Becky Quick and Mike Santoli

9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Berkshire Hathaway morning Q&A session

11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Halftime show anchored by Becky Quick and Mike Santoli

12 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Afternoon Q&A session of annual meeting

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Post-show anchored by Becky Quick and Mike Santoli

Note: Schedule reflects Eastern Time

—Christina Cheddar Berk