Berkshire Hathaway $BRK.B is a U.S. holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, that owns a large and diverse collection of businesses outright while also maintaining a substantial portfolio of publicly traded stocks. It is one of the largest companies in the world by market capitalization and is best known as the vehicle through which Warren Buffett built one of the most closely watched investment records in modern business history.
The company traces its origins to a New England textile manufacturer incorporated in the mid-19th century. Buffett began acquiring shares in Berkshire Hathaway in the 1960s and eventually took control of it, using its cash flows to buy and invest in other businesses. The textile operations were wound down, and Berkshire was transformed into a conglomerate and investment vehicle. Buffett's longtime partner Charlie Munger, who died in 2023, served as vice chairman for decades and played a central role in shaping the company's investment philosophy.
Berkshire's wholly owned subsidiaries span a wide range of industries. GEICO, one of the largest auto insurers in the U.S., is among its most prominent holdings, as is BNSF Railway, one of North America's largest freight rail networks. Berkshire Hathaway Energy is a major utility and energy company. The conglomerate also owns consumer brands including Dairy Queen, See's Candies, Duracell, and Fruit of the Loom, as well as McLane Company, a large grocery and foodservice distribution business. Its publicly traded equity portfolio has historically included large positions in companies such as Apple $AAPL, American Express $AXP, and Coca-Cola $KO.
Berkshire issues two classes of shares: Class A shares, which are among the highest-priced individual stock shares of any public company, and Class B shares, introduced in 1996 at a fraction of the Class A price to give smaller investors access. The company holds its annual shareholder meeting in Omaha each spring, an event that draws tens of thousands of attendees and has earned the informal nickname "Woodstock for Capitalists." when Warren Buffett transitioned to chairman, and has continued to oversee both the operating subsidiaries and the investment portfolio.