Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's longtime business partner and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, said Berkshire Hathaway had $157 billion in cash reserves plus a good credit rating, in an interview with CNBC shortly before his death. However, Munger and Buffett were reportedly unable to pull off one last big deal together using Berkshire's huge cash pile. Munger remained optimistic that future Berkshire leaders like Greg Abel or Ajit Jain may be able to execute a large "elephant-sized" acquisition to deploy the company's capital. With interest rates rising, Berkshire's cash is now earning a substantial return but the company continues to look for the right large acquisition opportunity.