HONG KONG, Oct 10 (Reuters) - U.S. investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N: Quote, Profile, Research), which has slashed its holding in Chinese oil giant PetroChina (0857.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), may have sold up altogether, which would free it from criticism over links to Sudan, analysts said.
The next declaration of a sale would take Berkshire's interest below 5 percent, the threshold above which the firm is required to declare any shareholding changes that cross a full percentage point.
But analysts suspect Buffett is about to leave the stock entirely, if he hasn't already done so.
"Considering the price level (HK$13-15) and volumes (average of 400 million/day) traded in PetroChina since Sept. 25, we would not be surprised if Buffett has already sold off his entire stake," said JP Morgan analyst Brynjar Eirik Bustnes in a note.
CLSA oil and gas analyst Gordon Kwan said he thought Buffett could complete his exit by the end of October.
Buffett held 11.05 percent of PetroChina's free-floating shares until July, when he began a series of sales. The sixth sale, which took place on Sept. 25 but was only declared on Tuesday, left his interest at 5.44 percent.
PetroChina's share price has rocketed since Buffett paid an estimated HK$1.60 per share in April 2003 and he has locked in a return of around 600 percent. The shares stood at HK$14.42 at 0545 GMT on Wednesday.
PetroChina's parent company, state-owned CNPC, is a leading investor in Sudan, helping the oil industry there to develop despite U.S. sanctions. Activist groups have said Berkshire's investment supported genocide in the Sudanese region of Darfur and they have welcomed the sell-off.
"While Mr. Buffett is rightfully keeping quiet about his motives, it is increasingly clear that his pattern of sales indicates that he no longer wants to be associated with an investment that helps to fund genocide," activist group Investors Against Genocide said in a statement on Tuesday.
Berkshire Hathaway's shareholders quashed a proposal to sell out of PetroChina at its annual meeting in May in a non-binding vote. Berkshire's board defended the investment by saying that although CNPC had operations in Sudan, PetroChina did not.
