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Notes payable and other borrowings
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Notes payable and other borrowings

(17)

Notes payable and other borrowings

Notes payable and other borrowings are summarized below (in millions). The weighted average interest rates and maturity date ranges shown in the following tables are based on borrowings as of December 31, 2019.

 

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

Interest Rate

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Insurance and other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“Berkshire”):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Dollar denominated due 2020-2047

 

 

3.2

%

 

$

8,324

 

 

$

9,065

 

Euro denominated due 2020-2035

 

 

1.1

%

 

 

7,641

 

 

 

7,806

 

Japanese Yen denominated due 2024-2049

 

 

0.5

%

 

 

3,938

 

 

 

 

Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation (“BHFC”):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Dollar denominated due 2020-2049

 

 

4.1

%

 

 

8,679

 

 

 

10,650

 

Great Britain Pound denominated due 2039-2059

 

 

2.5

%

 

 

2,274

 

 

 

 

Other subsidiary borrowings due 2020-2045

 

 

4.0

%

 

 

5,262

 

 

 

5,597

 

Short-term subsidiary borrowings

 

 

3.9

%

 

 

1,472

 

 

 

1,857

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

37,590

 

 

$

34,975

 

 

In September 2019, Berkshire issued ¥430.0 billion of senior notes consisting of ¥108.5 billion of 0.17% senior notes due in 2024, ¥61.0 billion of 0.27% senior notes due in 2026, ¥146.5 billion of 0.44% senior notes due in 2029, ¥19.0 billion of 0.787% senior notes due in 2034, ¥59.0 billion of 0.965% senior notes due in 2039 and ¥36.0 billion of 1.108% senior notes due in 2049.

Borrowings of BHFC, a wholly-owned finance subsidiary of Berkshire, consist of senior unsecured notes used to fund manufactured housing loans originated or acquired and equipment held for lease of certain subsidiaries. During 2019, BHFC repaid $3.95 billion of maturing senior notes. In 2019, BHFC issued $2.0 billion of 4.25% senior notes due in 2049 and £1.75 billion of senior notes consisting of £1.0 billion of 2.375% senior notes due in 2039 and £750 million of 2.625% senior notes due in 2059. Such borrowings are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Berkshire.

The carrying values of our non-U.S. Dollar denominated senior notes (€6.85 billion, £1.75 billion and ¥430 billion par) reflect the applicable exchange rates as of the balance sheet dates. The effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates during the period are recorded in earnings as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses. Changes in the exchange rates resulted in pre-tax gains of $192 million in 2019 and $366 million in 2018 and losses of $990 million in 2017.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(17)

Notes payable and other borrowings (Continued)

In addition to BHFC borrowings, at December 31, 2019, Berkshire has guaranteed approximately $1.2 billion of other subsidiary borrowings. Generally, Berkshire’s guarantee of a subsidiary’s debt obligation is an absolute, unconditional and irrevocable guarantee for the full and prompt payment when due of all payment obligations.

 

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

Interest Rate

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

Railroad, utilities and energy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company (“BHE”) and subsidiaries:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BHE senior unsecured debt due 2020-2049

 

 

4.6

%

 

$

8,581

 

 

$

8,577

 

Subsidiary and other debt due 2020-2064

 

 

4.5

%

 

 

30,772

 

 

 

28,196

 

Short-term debt

 

 

2.5

%

 

 

3,214

 

 

 

2,516

 

Burlington Northern Santa Fe and subsidiaries due 2020-2097

 

 

4.6

%

 

 

23,211

 

 

 

23,226

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

65,778

 

 

$

62,515

 

 

BHE subsidiary debt represents amounts issued pursuant to separate financing agreements. Substantially all of the assets of certain BHE subsidiaries are, or may be, pledged or encumbered to support or otherwise secure debt. These borrowing arrangements generally contain various covenants, including covenants which pertain to leverage ratios, interest coverage ratios and/or debt service coverage ratios. During 2019, BHE and its subsidiaries issued approximately $4.6 billion of long-term debt, with maturity dates ranging from 2029 to 2059 and with a weighted average interest rate of 3.6%. In January 2020, a BHE subsidiary issued $725 million of term debt consisting of $425 million of 2.4% notes due in 2030 and $300 million of 3.125% notes due in 2050.

BNSF’s borrowings are primarily senior unsecured debentures. In July 2019, BNSF issued $825 million of 3.55% senior unsecured debentures due in 2050.  As of December 31, 2019, BNSF, BHE and their subsidiaries were in compliance with all applicable debt covenants. Berkshire does not guarantee any debt, borrowings or lines of credit of BNSF, BHE or their subsidiaries.

As of December 31, 2019, our subsidiaries had unused lines of credit and commercial paper capacity aggregating approximately $7.1 billion to support short-term borrowing programs and provide additional liquidity.  Such unused lines of credit included approximately $5.6 billion related to BHE and its subsidiaries.

Debt principal repayments expected during each of the next five years are as follows (in millions).

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2024

 

Insurance and other

 

$

4,097

 

 

$

3,246

 

 

$

1,609

 

 

$

5,341

 

 

$

2,190

 

Railroad, utilities and energy

 

 

6,323

 

 

 

2,225

 

 

 

3,349

 

 

 

4,061

 

 

 

2,890

 

 

 

$

10,420

 

 

$

5,471

 

 

$

4,958

 

 

$

9,402

 

 

$

5,080