The billionaire investor will step down as CEO at the end of this month Berkshire Hathaway.

However, this does not mean that the legendary stock picker is retiring. He still plans to take over as chairman when the clocks strike in 2026.

In 2026 – and probably well beyond – I plan to apply classic Warren Buffett thinking to my own investing. Here are three examples.

I’m looking for a business moat

Some people buy stocks just because they think the price will go up. Others simply look at stocks that have fallen tough and hope for a rebound.

Sometimes, however, a stock falls for a good reason – and its price never recovers.

Warren Buffett doesn’t mind buying low-cost stocks. This actually helps explain much of his success as an investor over the decades.

However, when looking for a stock to buy, he doesn’t just look at the price. It also carefully considers the company’s business model and asks what kind of “moat“this is happening.

As with medieval castles, a moat in this context helps protect the company from rivals.

Think about Warren Buffett’s investment in Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) as an illustration. From a sturdy brand to its user ecosystem, the tech giant has many competitive advantages that together constitute a sizable moat.

Focusing on the long term

Will Apple have a sturdy 2026 thanks to its huge installer user base and proven business model?

Or could the stock price – up 11% this year – fall as a weakening economy and growing smartphone competition threaten sales of high-priced products?

I don’t know. However, I also think that the most vital question for investors is not what will happen to Apple in the coming months, but rather over the next decade or more.

This is because, like Warren Buffett, I take a long-term approach to investing.

Berkshire has done very well with its Apple holding. It still has a huge stake, although smaller than a few years ago.

Buffett’s approach to Apple, like most of his investments, has always been to ignore short-term noise and focus on long-term investments. I’m going to do the same.

Maintaining diversity

What will happen to Apple? Nobody knows – including Warren Buffett.

It remains a significant component of Berkshire’s stock portfolio.

Importantly, however, this is only one of the company’s shares. Buffett is a clever enough investor to know that no matter how brilliant a company is, it’s possible that there will be too much of it. Even the best businesses can encounter unexpected challenges.

From an investing standpoint, this means that clever investors stay diversified.

This isn’t just something for wealthy investors with huge sums to invest. Even on a compact scale, diversification is possible – and is an vital risk management tool.