Latest news with #Omaha
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Warren Buffett Used These 4 Simple Rules to Acquire 76 Businesses Worth Over $173 Billion
Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) (BRK.A) has long been celebrated for his clear and methodical approach to investing. In his 1977 shareholder letter, Buffett articulated the four key qualities he seeks in any business: 'We want the business to be (1) one that we can understand, (2) with favorable long-term prospects, (3) operated by honest and competent people, and (4) available at a very attractive price.' This simple yet rigorous framework has become a touchstone for investors worldwide, and remains highly relevant in today's dynamic markets. Buffett's insistence on understanding a business stems from his belief that clarity is essential for sound decision-making. He has often avoided industries or companies that are too complex or outside his circle of competence, preferring instead to focus on sectors where he can confidently assess risks and opportunities. This principle has helped Berkshire Hathaway avoid many speculative bubbles and costly missteps that have ensnared others. More News from Barchart Is Palantir Stock a Buy Above $150? Coinbase Stock Just Hit a New 52-Week High. How Much Higher Can Crypto Week Take COIN? This Bullish Catalyst for Nvidia Stock Is Coming in September Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! The second criterion, favorable long-term prospects, reflects Buffett's preference for businesses with durable competitive advantages — what he and his late, longtime business partner Charlie Munger called 'economic moats.' These are companies with strong brands, loyal customers, and high barriers to entry, enabling them to generate consistent profits over time. By focusing on long-term sustainability rather than short-term gains, Buffett has built a portfolio that can weather market volatility and changing economic cycles. Buffett's third requirement — honest and competent management — shows his respect for integrity and skill in leadership. He has repeatedly credited the success of Berkshire Hathaway's investments to the quality of the people running its subsidiaries. Buffett's willingness to invest in companies where he is not directly involved in daily operations is rooted in his confidence in the character and capability of their management teams. Finally, the demand for an attractive price is a hallmark of Buffett's value investing philosophy. He seeks to buy shares when they are undervalued relative to their intrinsic worth, providing a margin of safety against unforeseen risks. This discipline has allowed Berkshire Hathaway to achieve strong returns over decades, even as market conditions shift. $173 Billion in Acquisitions This philosophy has helped Buffett acquire an unreal number of businesses over the years. Berkshire Hathaway has completed over 72 major acquisitions and several more minor acquisitions over the years. With Buffett at the helm, Berkshire has expended over $173 billion in capital acquiring these businesses, ultimately creating over a trillion dollars in value for shareholders. While not all of Buffett's acquisitions have been successful, very few other investors even come close to his track record. While few investors will ever acquire a business outright, many will invest in businesses via the stock market, and can use this methodology when looking to acquire companies in their equity portfolios. Buffett's 1977 letter and its guiding principles continue to influence investors, fund managers, and corporate leaders. As markets evolve with new technologies and global challenges, his focus on simplicity, quality, and value remains a steady compass. The enduring relevance of these criteria is evident in the continued success of Berkshire Hathaway and the widespread adoption of Buffett's methods by investors seeking long-term, sustainable growth. In an era where complexity and speculation often dominate investing headlines, Buffett's timeless approach serves as a reminder that the fundamentals—integrity, prospects, and price—are as important now as they were nearly half a century ago. On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Glaring Reason Why Warren Buffett Isn't Buying His Favorite ETF Right Now
Key Points Past clues point to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF being Buffett's favorite exchange-traded fund. The legendary investor isn't buying his favorite ETF because of a dangerously high valuation. Buying the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF even at a high valuation could pay off over the long term, but only if you buy and hold. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › Warren Buffett loves investing in stocks. However, he doesn't encourage all investors to follow in his footsteps. Instead, the Oracle of Omaha believes that the best approach for most people is to invest in funds rather than individual stocks. His premise is that it takes a lot of research to understand businesses well enough to put your money at risk investing in them. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) own lots of stocks, so extensive research isn't required. And they can be bought and sold just like stocks. While there are thousands of ETFs on the market, Buffett especially likes one. But there's a glaring reason why even Buffett isn't buying his favorite ETF right now. Buffett's favorite ETF What is Buffett's favorite ETF? He has provided three big clues in the past. Clue No. 1 came in Buffett's 2013 letter to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) shareholders. He wrote: "The goal of the non-professional should not be to pick winners -- neither he nor his 'helpers' can do that -- but should rather be to own a cross-section of businesses that in aggregate are bound to do well. A low-cost S&P 500 index fund will achieve this goal." Buffett's second clue was in the same shareholder letter. And it was even more direct. He noted that his will specifies that 90% of the cash his family inherits when he dies be invested "in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund." He then added, "I suggest Vanguard's." Now for the third clue. Buffett has owned only two ETFs in recent years in Berkshire's portfolio. One was the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY). The other was the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO), which has a slightly lower annual expense ratio than the SPDR ETF. Guess which one of these two S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) index funds had more of Berkshire's cash invested in it? Pat yourself on the back if your answer was the Vanguard ETF. I think these clues clearly point to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF as Buffett's favorite ETF. Why he isn't buying it However, Berkshire completely exited its position in the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF in the fourth quarter of 2024. (It sold all of its shares of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust during the quarter as well.) Furthermore, the legendary investor has not bought a single share of his favorite ETF since. I don't think Buffett has changed his mind about the wisdom of investing in S&P 500 index funds. I don't believe he no longer views the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF as a good long-term pick for investors, either. So why isn't Buffett buying his favorite ETF? I think the glaring reason One metric that highlights the concerning valuation of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and the overall stock market is named after Buffett himself. The Buffett indicator measures the total market capitalization of all U.S. stocks as a percentage of U.S. GDP. Buffett stated in an article published by Fortune magazine in 2001 that when this indicator approaches 200%, investors are "playing with fire." Today, the Buffett indicator stands at nearly 209%. Granted, this metric uses the Wilshire 5000 index, which includes all U.S. stocks. However, the S&P 500 makes up around 80% of the total market capitalization of U.S. stocks. Should you buy this ETF even though Buffett isn't? Buffett's warning about "playing with fire" rings in my ears. So does his advice in the 2013 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter to "invest in stocks as you would in a farm." I probably wouldn't buy a farm when land prices were at all-time highs, especially if I suspected they would be cheaper in the not-too-distant future. That said, I don't think investors would make a huge mistake by buying the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now, even though Buffett isn't -- if they hold the ETF for the long term. I'd be surprised if the S&P 500 (and ETFs that track the index) aren't valued more highly 20 years from now than they are today. Buffett pointed out a risk to keep in mind, though. He wrote in the 2013 letter, "The main danger is that the timid or beginning investor will enter the market at a time of extreme exuberance and then become disillusioned when paper losses occur." If you think you'll succumb to the temptation to sell if the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF declines sharply, don't buy it. However, Buffett also provided an "antidote" to this potential problem. He suggested accumulating shares over time and never selling on bad news or major pullbacks. If you follow these rules, Buffett argued, you're "virtually certain to get satisfactory results." Do the experts think Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did Vanguard S&P 500 ETF make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,069% vs. just 180% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 888.61%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $687,149!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,060,406!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 Keith Speights has positions in Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Glaring Reason Why Warren Buffett Isn't Buying His Favorite ETF Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool


Globe and Mail
20 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The Glaring Reason Why Warren Buffett Isn't Buying His Favorite ETF Right Now
Key Points Past clues point to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF being Buffett's favorite exchange-traded fund. The legendary investor isn't buying his favorite ETF because of a dangerously high valuation. Buying the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF even at a high valuation could pay off over the long term, but only if you buy and hold. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › Warren Buffett loves investing in stocks. However, he doesn't encourage all investors to follow in his footsteps. Instead, the Oracle of Omaha believes that the best approach for most people is to invest in funds rather than individual stocks. His premise is that it takes a lot of research to understand businesses well enough to put your money at risk investing in them. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) own lots of stocks, so extensive research isn't required. And they can be bought and sold just like stocks. While there are thousands of ETFs on the market, Buffett especially likes one. But there's a glaring reason why even Buffett isn't buying his favorite ETF right now. Buffett's favorite ETF What is Buffett's favorite ETF? He has provided three big clues in the past. Clue No. 1 came in Buffett's 2013 letter to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) shareholders. He wrote: "The goal of the non-professional should not be to pick winners -- neither he nor his 'helpers' can do that -- but should rather be to own a cross-section of businesses that in aggregate are bound to do well. A low-cost S&P 500 index fund will achieve this goal." Buffett's second clue was in the same shareholder letter. And it was even more direct. He noted that his will specifies that 90% of the cash his family inherits when he dies be invested "in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund." He then added, "I suggest Vanguard's." Now for the third clue. Buffett has owned only two ETFs in recent years in Berkshire's portfolio. One was the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY). The other was the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO), which has a slightly lower annual expense ratio than the SPDR ETF. Guess which one of these two S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) index funds had more of Berkshire's cash invested in it? Pat yourself on the back if your answer was the Vanguard ETF. I think these clues clearly point to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF as Buffett's favorite ETF. Why he isn't buying it However, Berkshire completely exited its position in the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF in the fourth quarter of 2024. (It sold all of its shares of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust during the quarter as well.) Furthermore, the legendary investor has not bought a single share of his favorite ETF since. I don't think Buffett has changed his mind about the wisdom of investing in S&P 500 index funds. I don't believe he no longer views the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF as a good long-term pick for investors, either. So why isn't Buffett buying his favorite ETF? I think the glaring reason One metric that highlights the concerning valuation of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and the overall stock market is named after Buffett himself. The Buffett indicator measures the total market capitalization of all U.S. stocks as a percentage of U.S. GDP. Buffett stated in an article published by Fortune magazine in 2001 that when this indicator approaches 200%, investors are "playing with fire." Today, the Buffett indicator stands at nearly 209%. Granted, this metric uses the Wilshire 5000 index, which includes all U.S. stocks. However, the S&P 500 makes up around 80% of the total market capitalization of U.S. stocks. Should you buy this ETF even though Buffett isn't? Buffett's warning about "playing with fire" rings in my ears. So does his advice in the 2013 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter to "invest in stocks as you would in a farm." I probably wouldn't buy a farm when land prices were at all-time highs, especially if I suspected they would be cheaper in the not-too-distant future. That said, I don't think investors would make a huge mistake by buying the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now, even though Buffett isn't -- if they hold the ETF for the long term. I'd be surprised if the S&P 500 (and ETFs that track the index) aren't valued more highly 20 years from now than they are today. Buffett pointed out a risk to keep in mind, though. He wrote in the 2013 letter, "The main danger is that the timid or beginning investor will enter the market at a time of extreme exuberance and then become disillusioned when paper losses occur." If you think you'll succumb to the temptation to sell if the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF declines sharply, don't buy it. However, Buffett also provided an "antidote" to this potential problem. He suggested accumulating shares over time and never selling on bad news or major pullbacks. If you follow these rules, Buffett argued, you're "virtually certain to get satisfactory results." Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now? Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $687,149!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,060,406!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,069% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
58% of Warren Buffett's $292 Billion Portfolio Is Being Wagered on 4 Unstoppable Stocks
Key Points Warren Buffett's track record -- a nearly 5,800,000% cumulative return in Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares (BRK.A) since the mid-1960s -- has led to investors riding his coattails. One of the prime characteristics of Buffett's investment philosophy is portfolio concentration. Buffett has almost $169 billion invested in four brand-name companies with easily identifiable competitive advantages and hearty capital-return programs. 10 stocks we like better than Apple › There isn't a money manager on Wall Street who commands more attention than Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) CEO Warren Buffett -- and there's a good reason why. Since ascending to the CEO chair 60 years ago, the aptly dubbed "Oracle of Omaha" has overseen a cumulative return in his company's Class A shares (BRK.A) that's approaching 5,800,000%, as of the closing bell on July 14. This is nearly 140 times greater than the return of the benchmark S&P 500 over six decades, including dividends. Given Buffett's unwavering desire to secure a good deal and his love of businesses with sustainable competitive advantages, some investors choose to ride his coattails to long-term success. Although Buffett, who's set to retire from the CEO role at years' end, and his top advisors are overseeing more than three dozen stocks in Berkshire's $292 billion investment portfolio, this portfolio is quite top-heavy. This is to say that Buffett has concentrated a significant portion of his company's invested assets -- 58%, or almost $169 billion -- in just four unstoppable stocks. Apple: $62.6 billion (21.5% of invested assets) Although Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has been Warren Buffett's top investment holding at Berkshire Hathaway for years, the gap between it and Berkshire's second-largest holding by market value has shrunk considerably. This likely has to do with Berkshire's billionaire chief selling 67% of his company's stake in Apple (more than 615 million shares) since Sept. 30, 2023. Don't get me wrong -- Warren Buffett still appreciates Apple for a variety of reasons I'll touch on momentarily. But with the peak marginal corporate income tax rate affixed at its lowest level since 1939, Buffett viewed locking in some of his company's substantial gains as a smart strategic move. While Buffett can't explain how Apple iPhones work, he does have a good bead on consumer behavior. Apple has a rich history of building trust with the purchasers of its products, and consumers have tended to be particularly loyal to the Apple brand. Since a 5G-capable version of the iPhone was introduced during the fourth quarter of 2020, it's had little trouble maintaining a majority of U.S. smartphone market share. Berkshire's chief has also heaped praise on Apple CEO Tim Cook for his leadership. Though net sales of physical devices have been relatively stagnant in recent years, Cook is overseeing steady growth in Apple's subscription services. This segment should enhance customer loyalty and bolster the company's margins over time. However, Apple's not-so-secret weapon is its world-leading capital-return program. Since initiating a buyback program in 2013, it's spent $775 billion to repurchase more than 43% of its outstanding shares. Buying back stock has had a decisively positive impact on its earnings per share and made its stock more attractive to value-seeking investors. American Express: $48.7 billion (16.7% of invested assets) Billionaire Warren Buffett's No. 2 holding is credit-services provider American Express (NYSE: AXP). Though Berkshire Hathaway hasn't purchased shares of "AmEx" (as American Express is commonly known) in quite some time, a 130% increase in AmEx's stock over the trailing-three-year period is giving Apple a run for its money. The reason American Express has made for such a rock-solid long-term investment -- it's been a continuous holding for Buffett's company since 1991 -- is its ability to benefit from both side of the transaction aisle. On one hand, it's America's third-largest payment processor by credit card network purchase volume. Facilitating transactions generates AmEx fee revenue from merchants. The key for American Express is that it also acts as a lender to businesses and consumers via its credit cards. This allows AmEx to reap the benefits of annual fees and/or interest income. Though being a lender does expose the company to potential credit delinquencies and loan losses during recessions, the U.S. economy spends a disproportionate amount of time expanding. Further, AmEx has a knack for attracting high-earning clientele. High-earning cardholders are less likely than low- and middle-income individuals to alter their spending habits or fail to pay their bills during economic hiccups. There's a reason American Express is one of eight stocks Warren Buffett considers "indefinite" holdings. Bank of America: $29.7 billion (10.2% of invested assets) In similar fashion to Apple, Berkshire Hathaway's billionaire investor has been notably paring down his company's stake in Bank of America (NYSE: BAC). Since July 17, 2024 -- we know this specific date thanks to required Form 4 filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission -- Buffett has green-lit the sale of more than 401 million shares of BofA stock. Nevertheless, it's still Berkshire's third-largest holding by market value. Buffett's selling activity in Bank of America likely boils down to a mix of profit-taking with an advantageous peak marginal corporate income tax rate, and the expectation that interest rates will further decline with the Federal Reserve in a rate-easing cycle. Among money-center banks, BofA is the most sensitive to changes in interest rates. When the nation's central bank boosted the federal funds rate by 525 basis points from March 2022 to July 2023, no large bank benefited more, in terms of interest income, than Bank of America. But when interest rates decline, it might feel more pain than its peers. Berkshire Hathaway's investment lead also tends to pack his company's $292 billion portfolio with companies that can take advantage of the nonlinearity of economic cycles. As alluded earlier, the U.S. economy spends much more time in the sun than under the proverbial clouds. Whereas the average U.S. recession has resolved in 10 months since the end of World War II, the typical economic expansion sticks around for roughly five years. Lengthy periods of expansion have allowed BofA to prudently expand its loan portfolio over time. Coca-Cola: $27.8 billion (9.5% of invested assets) Lastly, the Oracle of Omaha has close to $28 billion invested in consumer staples giant Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO). Like AmEx, Coca-Cola is a longtime holding of Berkshire Hathaway (since 1988) that Buffett considers something of a "forever" stock. The foundational talking point of Coca-Cola's operating model is that it sells a basic need good: beverages. No matter how well or poorly the stock market or U.S. economy are performing, consumers need food and beverages. This means Coca-Cola's operating cash flow tends to be highly predictable in virtually any economic climate. Another sustainable edge for this company has been its geographic diversity. With the exception of North Korea, Cuba, and Russia (the latter has to do with its invasion of Ukraine in 2022), Coca-Cola has ongoing operations in every other country. This provides consistent cash flow in developed markets, and organic sales growth potential in faster-growing emerging markets. The Coca-Cola investment story is a reflection of its ability to connect with consumers. It's been able to rely on more than a century of history to engage with mature audiences, and has leaned into artificial intelligence (AI) as a means of tailoring its advertising for younger audiences. Few companies have more consistently crossed generational gaps with such ease. The icing on the cake for Warren Buffett is the delectable yield Berkshire is netting annually from its Coca-Cola position. With a minuscule cost basis in Coca-Cola of $3.2475 per share, Berkshire Hathaway is securing a nearly 63% annual yield on cost. There's no reason for Buffett or his team to ever sell this stake in Coca-Cola. Should you invest $1,000 in Apple right now? Before you buy stock in Apple, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Apple wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $674,281!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,050,415!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,058% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 179% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Sean Williams has positions in Bank of America. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Bank of America, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 58% of Warren Buffett's $292 Billion Portfolio Is Being Wagered on 4 Unstoppable Stocks was originally published by The Motley Fool


New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
Plane Is Diverted After Man Threatens to Kill Flight Attendant, Authorities Say
A jet plane traveling to Detroit from Omaha on Thursday evening was forced to make an emergency landing after a 23-year-old passenger shoved a flight attendant, threatened to kill him and lunged in an apparent effort to open an emergency exit door midflight, according to the authorities and another passenger. The man, Mario Nikprelaj of Elkhorn, Neb., was arrested by the police in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after the plane touched down at Eastern Iowa Airport, the authorities said. He was charged with several crimes, including assault and disorderly conduct. Jonathan Spencer Van der Waarden, a passenger on Flight 3612, which was operated by SkyWest Airlines, an independent carrier that runs regional jets for Delta Air Lines as Delta Connection, was flying home to Michigan after a work trip. He said in an interview on Friday that Mr. Nikprelaj's behavior had been erratic from the beginning of the flight. He said that Mr. Nikprelaj had unfastened his seatbelt and stood up during takeoff. Then, during drink service, Mr. Nikprelaj, who was seated in the exit row, prompted panic among passengers when he lunged for an emergency exit in an apparent attempt to fling it open, Mr. Van der Waarden said. 'One guy is yelling: 'Hey, we need help back here! He's trying to open the door,'' Mr. Van der Waarden said. Mr. Van der Waarden said that he felt the plane suddenly being diverted when a pilot, citing an unruly passenger's behavior, announced that it would be landing in Cedar Rapids. As the plane was descending, Mr. Nikprelaj began marching toward the front of the plane and again quarreled with passengers and crew members who tried to stop him, Mr. Van der Waarden said. 'He was just being very aggressive,' he said. Video captured by Mr. Van der Waarden from inside the plane after landing showed a man in a white T-shirt, hands bound behind him, being escorted off the plane by law enforcement officers. It remained grounded for more than two hours while the police took statements from passengers and the crew, Mr. Van der Waarden said. SkyWest Airlines confirmed in a statement that the flight had been diverted 'due to an unruly customer' and that the plane later continued to Detroit after that person was detained. In addition to assault and disorderly conduct, Mr. Nikprelaj was charged with harassment, unlawful possession of prescription medication and a failure to affix a proper tax stamp on 41 pills of Alprazolam, an anti-anxiety drug commonly sold as Xanax, which the police found on him at the time of the arrest, according to a criminal complaint filed on Friday by the Linn County assistant attorney. The Cedar Rapids Police Department said on Thursday that Mr. Nikprelaj could face additional charges. Mr. Nikprelaj could not be reached for comment on Friday, and it was not clear if he had a lawyer. He appeared before a judge on Friday morning, and a judge set his bail at $10,000.