Berkshire shares struggle into annual meeting. Can Abel rekindle enthusiasm without Buffett center stage?

For decades, Berkshire Hathaway 's annual meeting has doubled as a kind of financial Woodstock, drawing tens of thousands to hear Warren Buffett dispense homespun wisdom, crack jokes and field hours of questions. This year will be different. For the first time, the 95-year-old Buffett won't be the central figure on stage, marking a new era for one of the investing world's most closely watched rituals. …