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BNSF

BNSF Joins the Blockchain in Transport Alliance

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

BNSF Railway Company has became the first Class I railroad to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).

BiTA is comprised of more than 200 freight transportation companies working to develop blockchain standards for the logistics industry and the supply chain as a whole.

“Blockchain technology has the potential to change several aspects of the transportation industry and it is important that the industry comes together to align around a set of standards,” said Muru Murugappan, BNSF vice president of technology services and chief information officer. “We are excited to help drive those standards forward as a member of BiTA.”

BNSF along with the other members of BiTA will work to define what data goes into the freight transportation blockchain, how that data is formatted, how the data is structured and in what cases blockchain would be used.

Blockchain functions as a distributed ledger, wherein all members of a particular blockchain have access to all the data within it. By housing information with each member, altering the information within a blockchain is difficult – requiring 51 percent of the blockchain’s participants to approve the change.

“BNSF is one of the most important members of the North American transportation network, providing the backbone of American commerce. Their embracement of technology standards for the future of the industry will have a profound impact on the future of customer supply chains,” said Craig Fuller, chief executive officer, BiTA.

© 2018 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.

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Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Berkshire Utilities Have $13+ Million in Benefits from Western Energy Imbalance Market in 4th Qtr 2017

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

The California Independent System Operator (ISO) has released its western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) 2017 fourth quarter benefits report that shows the real-time energy imbalance market produced $33.46 million benefits for its six participating members.

During the fourth quarter of 2017 two Berkshire Hathaway Energy companies had over $13 million in benefits. PacifiCorp realized benefits of $6.83 million and NV Energy saved $6.45 million.

The total benefits since the western regional market was launched in 2014 now total $288.44 million for all six members.

Western EIM participants helped reduce carbon emissions in the region by 7,730 metric tons by using 18,060 megawatt-hours of excess renewable energy that otherwise would have been turned off; this translates into removing 1,655 passenger cars from the highways for a year.

“The ISO’s western EIM continues its positive uptick in benefits, accruing savings as it promotes a greener and more reliable energy grid,” said ISO President and CEO Steve Berberich. “We are very pleased with the results for all participants in this growing market.”

The EIM’s state-of-art technology automatically finds and delivers low-cost energy to serve consumers in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada.

In addition to leveraging the diverse resources from a larger pool, the effective use of carbon-free generation provides added environmental benefits. Besides using low-cost energy, EIM utilities reduce their costs by being able to join together to decrease the amount of energy reserves that individual utilities must carry in real time to manage load.

© 2018 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.

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BNSF

BNSF Plans $3.3 Billion Capital Investment in 2018

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

BNSF Railway Company has announced its 2018 capital investment plan of $3.3 billion. This year’s capital plan reflects BNSF’s continued focus on maintaining its network as well as expansion projects aimed at meeting customer demands.

“Every year we work to ensure our capital investment plan enables us to continue to operate a safe and reliable rail network as well as anticipates the needs of our customers,” said Carl Ice, BNSF president and chief executive officer. “Our attention to safety and service, along with our investments in our network, provide a solid foundation for our ability to grow with our customers today and in the future.”

Since 2000 BNSF has invested more than $60 billion in its network all while remaining focused on its commitment to safety, maximizing efficiency and continuing to meet customers’ expectations. Like last year’s $3.3 billion capital program, the largest component of the plan will be to replace and maintain BNSF’s core network and related assets. Keeping the railroad well maintained ensures trains can run safely and helps limit the need for unscheduled service outages that can slow down the rail network and reduce capacity.

This year’s maintenance component is projected to be $2.4 billion. The projects included in this part of the plan will primarily be for replacing and upgrading rail, rail ties and ballast (which are the main components for the tracks on which BNSF trains operate) and maintaining its rolling stock. It will include approximately 13,000 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work and the replacement of more than 500 miles of rail and nearly 3 million rail ties.

“Our infrastructure is strong and robust. Our efforts to normalize our maintenance investment have positioned us to replace the right assets at the right locations at the right time,” Ice said. “This allows our maintenance investment to be at similar levels year-to-year.”

Approximately $500 million of this year’s capital plan is for expansion and efficiency projects. The majority of those projects are focused on key growth areas along BNSF’s Southern and Northern Transcon routes, connecting Southern California with Chicago and the Pacific Northwest to Upper Midwest respectively.

The company has also allocated $100 million for positive train control as it moves toward meeting the Dec. 31, 2018 implementation deadline. BNSF is the only Class I freight railroad to have completed the installation of PTC on all its federally mandated subdivisions and is currently running hundreds of trains daily with PTC as it tests revenue service across its mandated territory.

Another element of its capital plan will be $300 million for freight cars and other equipment acquisitions.

© 2018 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.

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Minority Stock Positions Stock Portfolio

Egypt Chooses BYD’s Electric Buses

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Egypt’s first pure electric bus will begin plying the streets of its second largest city Alexandria in the first half of the year under a new deal signed with BYD. Under the agreement, BYD will deliver 15 units of K9 12-meter pure electric buses and 18 charging poles, to accelerate the transition of local public transportation electrification.

The company won a competitive tender to provide its K9 pure electric buses after a call for submissions was made in April 2017. Countries such as Australia, the USA, UK, Japan and Italy operate the K9 in various scenarios. Powered by BYD’s proprietary battery technology, the K9 has a range of 250 kilometers.

BYD is ramping up its expansion across global markets as cities around the world shift towards more sustainable practices. In the Egyptian capital of Cairo, BYD’s sedan accounts for 40 percent of the city’s taxi fleet; its sports utility vehicle S5 is scheduled for a local launch in March.

Also in the pipeline are plans to assemble electric buses and electric cars in Egypt, construct a BYD SkyRail monorail through Alexandria’s congested city center and possibly develop the country’s solar energy sector.

“The tide is turning towards a greener way of living. We need to give ourselves a fighting chance if we are to mitigate the effects of climate change,” said AD Huang, General Manager of BYD Middle East and Africa Auto Sales Division.

BYD’s new energy vehicles span private, public and industrial use. The footprint has landed in more than 200 cities across 50 countries and regions.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2018 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.

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Acquisitions Berkadia

Berkadia Acquires 50% Interest in Riverside Capital

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Berkadia, Berkshire Hathaway’s joint venture with Leucadia National Corporation, has acquired a 50 percent ownership interest in Riverside Capital, a full-service tax credit investment company offering capital solutions to developers of high-quality affordable housing across the country.

Riverside has guided the financing and syndication for more than 7,500 affordable units across the country, representing $900 million of equity capital.

“This acquisition gives Berkadia the opportunity to expand our presence in the affordable housing space by enabling access to a deep network of developers and investor relationships,” said Berkadia CEO Justin Wheeler. “Riverside’s reputation as an established tax credit syndication platform, with its proven track record of providing capital solutions to the affordable housing industry’s leading development companies, appealed to our desire to grow within this increasingly important asset class.”

The acquisition creates a joint venture between Berkadia and The Michaels Organization, the nation’s largest privately-held owner and developer of affordable housing. Riverside, which is national in scope, has provided tax credit syndication services for top-tier affordable housing developments across the country, including for Michaels.

“We are proud to partner with Berkadia, one of the multifamily housing industry’s most respected and successful full-service mortgage banking, loan servicing and investment sales firms,” said John J. O’Donnell, president of The Michaels Organization. “This partnership propels Riverside into a position ripe for growth as an industry-leading capital provider and tax credit syndicator for much-needed affordable housing.”

“The partnership allows us to expand Riverside Capital’s capacity while continuing to offer our clients best-in-class opportunities and services,” said Sebastian Corradino, president of Riverside Capital. During Corradino’s tenure with Riverside, the firm more than doubled its volume and expanded its originating, underwriting and asset management teams.

Consistent with this strategy of growth in the affordable housing market, Berkadia has named Steve Ervin as the head of its prominent affordable housing group, charged with growing this platform. Mr. Ervin will lead the coordination of Berkadia’s affordable debt products including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and HUD. In his time at Berkadia, Mr. Ervin launched the Seniors Housing and Healthcare group and is currently the head of Berkadia’s HUD production team, who was ranked #1 for volume in fiscal 2017. He will draw upon that experience to manage Berkadia’s expansion in the affordable housing industry.

In 2017, Berkadia’s loan origination volume surpassed $24 billion while its investment sales platform totaled nearly $8 billion.

About Berkadia

Founded in 2009 as a 50/50 joint venture between Berkshire Hathaway and Leucadia National Corporation, Berkadia is a third-party commercial mortgage servicer, as well as an approved lender for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD/FHA.

The company is among the top Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae multifamily lenders.

Berkadia owes its origins to GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corporation, which was acquired in 2009 by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Five Mile Capital Partners LLC, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners. Christened Capmark Financial, the company had $10 billion of originations in 2008 and a servicing portfolio of more than $360 billion before running into bankruptcy in October 2009.

In a deal approved by the bankruptcy court, Capmark sold its mortgage loan and servicing to the newly formed Berkadia in a deal worth $515 million.

The deal brought Berkshire into the heart of the commercial loan serving business, and the company has one of the largest commercial real estate servicing portfolios.

© 2018 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.

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Warren Buffett

Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase Team Up on U.S. Employee Healthcare

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are partnering on ways to address healthcare for their U.S. employees, with the aim of improving employee satisfaction and reducing costs.

The three companies, which bring their scale and complementary expertise to this long-term effort, will pursue this objective through an independent company that is free from profit-making incentives and constraints. The initial focus of the new company will be on technology solutions that will provide U.S. employees and their families with simplified, high-quality and transparent healthcare at a reasonable cost.

Tackling the enormous challenges of healthcare and harnessing its full benefits are among the greatest issues facing society today. By bringing together three of the world’s leading organizations into this new and innovative construct, the group hopes to draw on its combined capabilities and resources to take a fresh approach to these critical matters.

“The ballooning costs of healthcare act as a hungry tapeworm on the American economy. Our group does not come to this problem with answers. But we also do not accept it as inevitable. Rather, we share the belief that putting our collective resources behind the country’s best talent can, in time, check the rise in health costs while concurrently enhancing patient satisfaction and outcomes,” said Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO, Warren Buffett.

“The healthcare system is complex, and we enter into this challenge open-eyed about the degree of difficulty,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. “Hard as it might be, reducing healthcare’s burden on the economy while improving outcomes for employees and their families would be worth the effort. Success is going to require talented experts, a beginner’s mind, and a long-term orientation.”

“Our people want transparency, knowledge and control when it comes to managing their healthcare,” said Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. “The three of our companies have extraordinary resources, and our goal is to create solutions that benefit our U.S. employees, their families and, potentially, all Americans,” he added.

The effort is in its early planning stages, with the initial formation of the company jointly spearheaded by Todd Combs, an investment officer of Berkshire Hathaway; Marvelle Sullivan Berchtold, a Managing Director of JPMorgan Chase; and Beth Galetti, a Senior Vice President at Amazon. The longer-term management team, headquarters location and key operational details will be announced at a later date.

© 2018 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.

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MiTek

BuilderMT’s Model Expert Wins a 2018 Top Product Award from Constructech

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BuilderMT, a MiTek company owned by Berkshire Hathaway, has won its 38th technology award, the 2018 Top Product award from Constructech.

The award was earned by BuilderMT’s ModelExpert. Working in tandem with Sales Simplicity’s Feature Manager, ModelExpert is a new digital toolset for estimating any set of house plans and options that a builder can invent or configure. ModelExpert allows builders to create a standard estimating method for their entire organization, based on the way estimators naturally think about, measure, estimate, purchase, and construct house plans and options.

“ModelExpert is one of our newest modules, but it is part of a years-long commitment to integrating BuilderMT and Sales Simplicity into a single platform,” said Tom Gebes, President of BuilderMT and Sales Simplicity. “ModelExpert– offers our users more precision and effectiveness in the selling, estimating, bidding, and purchasing processes.”

© 2018 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.

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NetJets

Super Bowl a Super Week for NetJets

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With any big sporting event comes big money, and in the case of the upcoming Super Bowl LII, which will be played on Sunday, February 4, the week-long celebration that culminates in the NFL’s championship means a big logistical operation for Berkshire Hathaway’s NetJets.

The fractional ownership private jet company has created a temporary fixed-based operation at St. Paul’s Holman Field. The services will include a special bar and lounge for NetJets customers.

Late-January and February is a particulary active period for private jet services, and in addition to the Super Bowl, there is the Davos Economic Forum, The Grammy Awards, The Academy Awards, the NHL All-Star Weekend, and the NBA All-Star Game. Not to mention flying your sweetheart to Venice or Maui for Valentine’s Day.

It is actually Davos that has the highest concentration of the largest, long-range jets, including the Bombardier Global Express and Gulfstream 650, as people fly in from the farthest corner’s of the Earth.

Of the roughly 1,500 private jets anticipated to fly in and out of the Minneapolis area for the Super Bowl, approximately 16.5% of them will be NetJets flights.

The cost of private jets for the event are are reportedly running as high as $75,000 an hour.

Of course you do get some extra frills for all that cost. NetJets is hosting an invitation only party. The location? Well, it’s on your invitation.

© 2018 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.

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McLane

McLane Company Creates Velocity Freight Transport

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

McLane Company Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway-owned supply chain services company, has launched Velocity Freight Transport, Inc., a freight brokerage company dedicated to providing significant value to both shippers and carriers.

Led by industry veterans Ross Grier, John Lower, Aaron Keister, and Seth Arnoux, Velocity Transport aims to be a first-class freight brokerage company known for their principled approach and quality of service.

According to a company statement, the launch of Velocity Transport comes at a time when the supply chain industry is in need of fresh thinking and an updated business model to enable carriers and shippers to meet their deadlines, growth goals and retain their competitive edge. To help with this, Velocity Transport will offer competitive pricing, relentless service, cutting-edge technology and comprehensive freight solutions.

With its headquarters and operations management stationed in Plano, Texas, Velocity Transport plans to serve clients across the United States, and provide refrigerated, flatbed, intermodal, LTL, van and expedited freight offerings.

“With today’s constant shifts in consumption trends and transportation regulations, supply chain leaders in all industries are facing more volatility and challenges than ever before. We’re launching Velocity Transport to bring comprehensive freight solutions to the market and deliver a level of service that will raise the bar on the freight brokerage industry overall,” said John Lower, vice president of Velocity Transport.

“Our entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to excellence and collaborative approach will enable the Velocity Transport team to remain agile and flexible when delivering solutions. We look forward to providing an exceptional experience to the shippers and carriers in our rapidly evolving marketplace,” Lower added.

© 2018 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.

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Berkshire Hathaway Energy

eVolution Networks Inks Strategic Deal with China’s Largest Data Center

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

eVolution Networks, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy portfolio company, has announced a strategic commercial agreement with China Telecom for purchasing software licenses of eVolution’s Smart Energy Solution AI platform, generating 40% savings in Data Centers’ energy consumption across China.

The software first deployed in one of China Telecom south-west region, in some of the largest data center facilities. The agreement was signed after rigorous testing and simulations in various China Telecom data centers, earning the approval and certification of the China Telecom Beijing Research Institute (CTBRI).

eVolution’s SES is a unique and innovative AI software platform capable of using off-peak periods of services in a data centers to save significant amounts of energy. After months of testing and simulations, CTBRI approved the ability and reliability of SES and decided to implement the solution in operational data centers across China. CTBRI completed the integration of internal systems with eVolution’s SES engine and developed a custom interface to monitor, support and measure electricity savings.

China Telecom is the largest owner of data centers and Internet hosting services in China. It owns hundreds of data center facilities across the country that accommodate millions of servers. Apart from providing hosting services to other companies, China Telecom offers its own services, such as IPTV, high-speed internet, intranet services.

“This is a very significant milestone for both China Telecom and eVolution Networks,” says Adam Amitai, Chief Information Officer at eVolution. “China’s 5 years energy plan is a massive call to action for major Chinese corporations. eVolution Networks is committed to helping Chinese data centers become greener and more profitable. We are proud to have China Telecom as our first Chinese customer deploying artificial intelligence technology to reduce their carbon footprint. Our mission is to harness the power of artificial intelligence to improve the data center industry efficiency and profitability in China and globally.”

© 2018 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