Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company

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American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The company is known for its control by Warren Buffett, who has been its chairman and CEO since 1965. Under Buffett’s leadership, Berkshire Hathaway has grown from a textile manufacturing company into one of the world’s largest and most diversified companies, with a market capitalization among the highest in the world.

Key Details:

  1. Leadership: Warren Buffett is the most famous figure associated with Berkshire Hathaway. His investing philosophy, often summarized as value investing, has made the company a massive success over decades.
  2. Subsidiaries: Berkshire Hathaway owns a wide variety of companies in various industries. Some of its wholly-owned subsidiaries include:
    • GEICO (Insurance)
    • BNSF Railway (Railroad)
    • Berkshire Hathaway Energy (Utilities)
    • Duracell (Batteries)
    • Fruit of the Loom (Apparel)
    • NetJets (Private Jets)
    Additionally, the company holds significant minority stakes in major publicly traded companies, such as:
    • Apple
    • Coca-Cola
    • American Express
    • Bank of America
    • Kraft Heinz
  3. Business Model: Berkshire Hathaway operates both as a holding company and an insurer, with its insurance businesses (like GEICO and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group) providing substantial cash flow for investment in other ventures.
  4. Stock: Berkshire Hathaway has two classes of stock:
    • Class A (BRK.A): These shares are among the most expensive on the market, often trading for hundreds of thousands of dollars each.
    • Class B (BRK.B): These shares are more accessible to the average investor, trading at a fraction of the price of Class A shares.
  5. Culture: The company is known for its decentralized management approach, allowing the CEOs of its subsidiaries a great deal of autonomy. Warren Buffett and his partner, Charlie Munger, are also known for their long-term investment strategy, focusing on businesses with strong fundamentals and durable competitive advantages.
  6. Annual Shareholders Meeting: Often referred to as the “Woodstock for Capitalists,” the annual meeting in Omaha attracts tens of thousands of investors who come to hear Buffett and Munger share their views on the economy, investing, and the company’s operations.

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