Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B) is a diversified holding company with a broad portfolio of businesses spanning insurance, utilities and energy, freight rail transportation, manufacturing, retail and services. Established as a textile firm in the 19th century, Berkshire Hathaway transformed under the leadership of Warren Buffett into one of the world’s largest conglomerates. The company’s insurance operations—including GEICO, Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group and Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group—provide both property/casualty and reinsurance coverage globally, serving as a key foundation for the firm’s investment activities.
Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Berkshire Hathaway traces its roots to the 1839 founding of the Valley Falls Company and the later merger of Hathaway Manufacturing Company with Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company in 1955. Warren Buffett first acquired shares in the mid-1960s and assumed control shortly thereafter, guiding the firm’s expansion beyond textiles into high-performing businesses across multiple industries. Over the decades, Berkshire Hathaway has grown through strategic acquisitions and long-term investments, staying true to Buffett’s value-oriented philosophy.
The conglomerate’s substantial non-insurance holdings include BNSF Railway, one of North America’s largest freight rail networks; Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a major owner of regulated utilities and renewable energy assets; and industrial and consumer brands such as Precision Castparts, Duracell, Dairy Queen and See’s Candies. Through these subsidiaries, the company serves markets in the United States and abroad, leveraging decentralized management to foster entrepreneurial leadership within each business unit.
Berkshire Hathaway is led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Warren Buffett, with Vice Chairmen Ajit Jain overseeing insurance operations and Greg Abel responsible for non-insurance business segments. This leadership team continues to uphold the company’s long-term investment approach, decentralized governance model and commitment to disciplined capital allocation as it navigates evolving economic and regulatory landscapes.
