(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Berkshire Hathaway reported a strong second quarter, with operating earnings rising 16% to $12.98 billion, up from $11.16 billion in the same period a year earlier.
The company’s results were supported by solid performances across several of its major businesses. Manufacturing, service and retailing generated $4.47 billion in operating earnings, compared with $3.60 billion a year ago. BNSF also improved, with earnings increasing to $1.56 billion from $1.47 billion, while Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s earnings climbed to $891 million from $702 million.
Insurance investment income declined to $3.06 billion from $3.37 billion, while insurance underwriting earnings fell to $1.73 billion from $1.99 billion. Meanwhile, earnings from Berkshire’s “Other” businesses surged to $1.27 billion, compared with just $32 million a year earlier.
For the first six months of 2026, Berkshire reported operating earnings of $24.33 billion, up from $20.80 billion in the first half of 2025.
CEO Greg Abel also significantly increased Berkshire’s share repurchases during the quarter, buying back approximately $4.5 billion of Berkshire stock. The increased buybacks signal management’s willingness to return capital to shareholders while continuing to assess opportunities for investing Berkshire’s substantial resources.
Net stock purchases were almost $20 billion.
©2026 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.