Business segment data (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of revenues and earnings before income taxes by segment

Our operating businesses include a large and diverse group of insurance, freight rail transportation, utilities and energy, manufacturing, service and retailing businesses. We organize our reportable business segments in a manner that reflects how management views those business activities. Certain businesses are grouped together for segment reporting based upon similar products or product lines and marketing, selling and distribution characteristics, even though those business units are operated under separate local management. We acquired control of Pilot on January 31, 2023. In this presentation, revenues and pre-tax earnings of the Pilot segment in 2023 are for the five months ending June 30. Prior to January 31, 2023, our earnings from Pilot were determined under the equity method and were included in earnings from non-controlled businesses. Revenues and earnings before income taxes by segment for the second quarter and first six months of 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in millions).

	Second Quarter					First Six Months
	2024		2023			2024		2023
Revenues of Operating Businesses
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	10,469	$	9,714		$	20,703	$	19,340
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		4,656		4,233			9,197		8,194
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		6,828		6,614			13,527		12,823
Investment income		4,077		2,918			7,241		5,310
Total insurance		26,030		23,479			50,668		45,667
BNSF		5,805		5,828			11,465		11,847
BHE		6,492		6,362			12,769		12,813
Pilot		12,999		14,754			25,502		24,262
Manufacturing		19,840		19,102			38,369		37,391
McLane		12,458		12,883			24,933		25,942
Service and retailing		9,947		10,141			19,650		20,072
		93,571		92,549			183,356		177,994
Reconciliation to consolidated amount
Corporate, eliminations and other		82		(46	)		166		(98	)
	$	93,653	$	92,503		$	183,522	$	177,896

	Second Quarter						First Six Months
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Earnings Before Income Taxes of Operating Businesses
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	1,786		$	514		$	3,714		$	1,217
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		279			272			765			540
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		782			827			1,694			1,058
Investment income		4,068			2,912			7,220			5,297
Total insurance		6,915			4,525			13,393			8,112
BNSF		1,622			1,615			3,141			3,264
BHE		326			624			758			847
Pilot		199			186			269			322
Manufacturing		3,129			3,103			6,043			5,714
McLane		142			129			307			242
Service and retailing		969			1,262			1,877			2,483
		13,302			11,444			25,788			20,984
Reconciliation to consolidated amount
Investment gains (losses)		23,857			33,061			25,733			67,819
Interest expense, not allocated to segments		(119	)		(103	)		(215	)		(217	)
Non-controlled businesses		252			511			745			1,199
Corporate, eliminations and other		845			522			1,792			402
	$	38,137		$	45,435		$	53,843		$	90,187