Berkshire Hathaway
Type	Public (NYSE: BRK.A, NYSE: BRK.B)
Founded	1839
Headquarters	Omaha, Nebraska
Key people	Warren Buffett, Chairman & CEO Charlie Munger, Vice Chairman
Industry	Property and casualty insurance, Diversified investments
Products	Conglomerate focused on insurance
Revenue	▲ US$118.245 billion (2007)
Net income	▲ US$13.213 billion (2007)
Employees	217,000 (mostly in subsidiaries)
Website	www.berkshirehathaway.com

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A, NYSE: BRK.B) is a conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. Berkshire Hathaway's core business is insurance, including property and casualty insurance, reinsurance and specialty nonstandard insurance. The Company averaged a high annual return to its shareholders for the last 25 years while employing large amounts of capital and minimal debt.^{[citation needed]} This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), nicknamed the Big Board, is a New York City-based stock exchange. ... The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), nicknamed the Big Board, is a New York City-based stock exchange. ... Omaha redirects here. ... For other uses, see Nebraska (disambiguation). ... Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American investor, businessman and philanthropist. ... Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the job of having the ultimate executive responsibility or authority within an organization or corporation. ... Charles Thomas Munger (b. ... The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company is one of the largest New York based life insurance companies Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ... Investment is a term with several closely related meanings in finance and economics. ... Conglomerate is the term used to describe a large company which consists of divisions of often seemingly unrelated businesses. ... The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company is one of the largest New York based life insurance companies Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ... For the tax agency in Ireland of the same name, see Revenue Commissioners. ... USD redirects here. ... Net income is equal to the income that a firm has after subtracting costs and expenses from the total revenue. ... USD redirects here. ... This article is about work. ... A website (alternatively, web site or Web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or more web servers, usually accessible via the Internet. ... The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), nicknamed the Big Board, is a New York City-based stock exchange. ... The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), nicknamed the Big Board, is a New York City-based stock exchange. ... A Conglomerate is the term used to describe a large corporation that consists of diverse divisions. ... For the band, see Big Brother and the Holding Company. ... Omaha is the name of some places in the United States: *Omaha, Nebraska (the most familiar one) Omaha, Georgia Omaha, Illinois Omaha, Texas It is also the name of a Native American tribe, after which the city in Nebraska is named; see Omaha (tribe). ... For other uses, see Nebraska (disambiguation). ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... A subsidiary, in business, is an entity that is controlled by another entity. ... The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company is one of the largest New York based life insurance companies Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ... Casualty insurance is a broad category of insurance that includes almost any coverage that is not related to life, health, or property. ... Reinsurance is a means by which an insurance company can protect itself against the risk of losses with other insurance companies. ...

Warren Buffett is the company's chairman and CEO. Buffett has used the "float" provided by Berkshire Hathaway's insurance operations (a policyholder's money which it holds temporarily until claims are paid out) to finance his investments. In the early part of his career at Berkshire, he focused on long-term investments in publicly quoted stocks, but more recently he has turned to buying whole companies. Berkshire now owns a diverse range of businesses including candy production; retail, home furnishings, encyclopedias, vacuum cleaners, jewelry sales; newspaper publishing; manufacture and distribution of uniforms; and manufacture, import and distribution of footwear. Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American investor, businessman and philanthropist. ...

History

Berkshire Hathaway was founded as a textile manufacturing company in 1839 as the Valley Falls Company in Valley Falls, Rhode Island by Oliver Chace. Chace had previously worked for Samuel Slater, the "Founder of the American Industrial Revolution", and founded his first textile mill in 1806. In 1929 the Valley Falls Company merged with Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates, another textile company that was founded as the Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company in Adams, Massachusetts in 1889. The combined company was known as Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates.[1] Valley Falls is a census-designated place located in Providence County, Rhode Island. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Oliver Chace (1769-1852) was the founder of several New England manufacturing companies including the Valley Falls Company, the original antecedent of Berkshire Hathaway, currently one of the largest companies in the world. ... Samuel Slater (June 9, 1768 – April 21, 1835) was an early American industrialist popularly known as the Founder of the American Industrial Revolution because he brought British textile technology to America. ... Adams is a town located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

In 1955 Berkshire Spinning merged with the Hathaway Manufacturing Company which was founded in 1888 in New Bedford, Massachusetts by Horatio Hathaway as a cotton milling business. Hathaway was successful in its first decades, but it suffered during a general decline in the textile industry after World War I. At this time, Hathaway was run by Seabury Stanton, whose investment efforts were rewarded with renewed profitability after the Depression. After the merger, Berkshire Hathaway had 15 plants employing over 12,000 workers with over $120 million in revenue and was headquartered in New Bedford, Massachusetts. However, seven of those locations were closed by the end of the decade, accompanied by large layoffs. For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... The Textile industry (also known in the United Kingdom and Australia as the Rag Trade) is a term used for industries primarily concerned with the design or manufacture of clothing as well as the distribution and use of textiles . ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... For the tax agency in Ireland of the same name, see Revenue Commissioners. ... Nickname: Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country United States State Massachusetts County Bristol County Settled 1640 Incorporated 1787 Government  - Type Mayor-council  - Mayor Scott W. Lang (Dem)  - City Council President/Ward 6: Leo R. Pimental. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

In 1962, Warren Buffett began buying stock in Berkshire Hathaway. After some clashes with the Stanton family, he bought up enough shares to change the management and soon controlled the company. Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American investor, businessman and philanthropist. ...

Buffett initially maintained Berkshire's core business of textile milling, but by 1967, he was expanding into the insurance industry and other investments. Berkshire first ventured into the insurance business with the purchase of National Indemnity Company. In the late 1970s, Berkshire acquired an equity stake in the Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO), which forms the core of its insurance operations today (and is a major source of capital for Berkshire Hathaway's other investments). In 1985, the last textile operations (Hathaway's historic core) were shut down. National Indemnity Company is an insurance company based in Omaha, Nebraska. ... The Government Employees Insurance Company, usually known by the acronym GEICO, is an American auto insurance company. ...

Berkshire facts

Berkshire's Class A shares sold for over $150,000 as of December 7, 2007, making them the highest-priced shares on the New York Stock Exchange, in part because they have never had a stock split. Shares closed over $100,000 for the first time October 23, 2006. Berkshire Class B shares trade at a fraction (1/30) of the Class A prices. Despite its size, Berkshire is not included in broad stock market indexes such as the S&P 500. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), nicknamed the Big Board, is a New York City-based stock exchange. ... Stock split refers to a corporate action that increases the number of shares in a public company. ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The S&P 500 is an index containing the stocks of 500 Large-Cap corporations, most of which are American. ...

Berkshire's CEO, Warren Buffett, is respected for his investment prowess and his deep understanding of a wide spectrum of businesses. His annual chairman letters are read and quoted widely. Barron's Magazine named Berkshire the most respected company in the world in 2007 based on a survey of American money managers.^[1] Barrons magazine is an American weekly newspaper covering U.S. financial information, market developments, and relevant statistics. ...

As of 2005, Buffett owns 38% of Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire's Vice-Chairman Charlie Munger also holds a stake big enough to make him a billionaire, and early investments in Berkshire by David Gottesman and Franklin Otis Booth resulted in their becoming billionaires as well. Bill Gates' Cascade Investments LLC is the second largest shareholder of Berkshire and owns more than 5% of class B shares. 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Charles Thomas Munger (b. ... David Gottesman (born 1926 or 1927[1]) is a businessman appearing as #336 on Forbes 2007 list of billionaires. ... For other persons named Bill Gates, see Bill Gates (disambiguation). ... Cascade Investments LLC is a private investment and holding company, incorporated in United States. ...

Berkshire Hathaway is notable in that it has never split its shares, which not only contributed to their high per-share price but also significantly reduced the liquidity of the stock. This refusal to split the stock reflects the management's desire to attract long-term investors as opposed to short-term speculators. However, Berkshire Hathaway has created a Class B stock, with an ownership value of 1/30th of that of the original shares (now Class A) and 1/200th of the per-share voting rights. Holders of Class A stock are allowed to convert their stock to Class B, though not vice versa. Stock split refers to a corporate action that increases the number of shares in a public company. ... Market liquidity is a business or economics term that refers to the ability to quickly buy or sell a particular item without causing a significant movement in the price. ... Speculation involves the buying, holding, and selling of stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, collectibles, real estate, derivatives or any valuable financial instrument to profit from fluctuations in its price as opposed to buying it for use or for income via methods such as dividends or interest. ...

Buffett was reluctant to create the Class B shares, but did so to thwart the creation of unit trusts that would have marketed themselves as Berkshire look-alikes. As Buffett said in his 1995 shareholder letter: Note: the Unit Trust (UT) is a separate mainly UK fund type. ...

"The unit trusts that have recently surfaced fly in the face of these goals. They would be sold by brokers working for big commissions, would impose other burdensome costs on their shareholders, and would be marketed en masse to unsophisticated buyers, apt to be seduced by our past record and beguiled by the publicity Berkshire and I have received in recent years. The sure outcome: a multitude of investors destined to be disappointed."

Berkshire's annual shareholders' meetings, taking place in the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska, are routinely visited by 20,000 people[2]. The 2007 meeting had an attendance of approximately 27,000. The meetings, nicknamed "Woodstock for Capitalists", are considered Omaha's largest annual event along with the baseball College World Series[3]. Known for their humor and light-heartedness, the meetings typically start with a movie made for Berkshire shareholders. The 2004 movie featured Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role of 'The Warrenator' who travels through time to stop Buffett and Munger's attempt to save the world from a "mega" corporation formed by Microsoft-Starbucks-Wal-Mart. Schwarzenegger is later shown arguing in a gym with Buffett regarding Proposition 13.[4] The 2006 movie depicted actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Nicollette Sheridan lusting after Munger.[5] The meeting is also an opportunity for investors to ask Mr. Buffett questions, which is scheduled to last six hours. Qwest Center is a 14,700-seat multi-purpose arena in Omaha, Nebraska. ... Woodstock may refer to: Woodstock Music and Art Festival, a 1969 U.S. rock festival which inspired a 1970 Warner Bros. ... Capitalism generally refers to in philosophy and politics, a social system based on the principle of individual rights, including property rights. ... The College World Series is the tournament which determines the NCAA Division I collegiate baseball champion. ... Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German IPA: ; born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, Golden Globe-winning actor, businessman and politician currently serving as the 38th Governor of the U.S. state of California. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... For other uses of Starbuck, see Starbuck. ... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... Proposition 13, officially titled the Peoples Initiative to Limit Property Taxation, was a ballot initiative to amend the constitution of the state of California. ... Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American film actress and an author of childrens books. ... Nicollette Sheridan (born November 21, 1963) is a Golden Globe-nominated British-born American actress. ...

The salary for the CEO is US$100,000 per year with no stock options, which is among the lowest CEO salary ^[2] for other large companies in the United States. ^[3]

Corporate governance

Current members of the board of directors of Berkshire Hathaway are: Howard Graham Buffett, Warren Buffett, Susan Decker, Bill Gates, David Gottesman, Charlotte Guyman, Donald Keough, Charlie Munger, Thomas S. Murphy, Ronald Olson, and Walter Scott Jr. Chairman of the Board redirects here. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American investor, businessman and philanthropist. ... has been a director of Costco Corporation, and has served as Chief Financial Officer of Yahoo! Incorporated. ... For other persons named Bill Gates, see Bill Gates (disambiguation). ... David Gottesman (born 1926 or 1927[1]) is a businessman appearing as #336 on Forbes 2007 list of billionaires. ... Donald R. Keough (born 1927) is Chairman of the Board of Allen & Company Incorporated, a New York investment-banking firm. ... Charles Thomas Munger (b. ... Ronald Olson was an American cultural anthropologist known for his work with the Haisla people of coastal British Columbia and the Tlingit people of southeastern Alaska. ... Walter Scott, Jr. ...

Financials

• Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2007: USD 44.329 billion
• Equity investments at December 31, 2007: USD 74.999 billion
• Total shareholders’ equity at December 31, 2007: USD 120.733 billion
• Revenue for 2007: USD 118.245 billion
• Net earnings for 2007: USD 13.213 billion
• Income taxes for 2007: USD 6.594 billion

is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Holdings

Main article: List of assets owned by Berkshire Hathaway

This is a list of assets owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffetts investment company. ...

Insurance and finance subsidiaries

• GEICO
• General Re
• Kansas Bankers Surety Company
• National Indemnity Company
• Wesco Financial Corporation
• Applied Underwriters Inc.
• Medical Protective
• Nederlandse Reassurantie Groep
• Berkshire Hathaway Assurance

The Government Employees Insurance Company, usually known by the acronym GEICO, is an American auto insurance company. ... General Re is a reinsurance company. ... Kansas Bankers Surety Company is an insurance company based in the United States. ... National Indemnity Company is an insurance company based in Omaha, Nebraska. ... Wesco Financial Coproration (AMEX:WSC) is a diversified financial corporation headquartered in Pasadena, California. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Berkshire Hathaway. ... Medical Protective is an American liability insurance company for physicians and dentists. ...

Other subsidiaries

• Acme Brick Company
• Ben Bridge Jeweler
• Borsheim's Fine Jewelry
• Brooks Sports, Inc.
• Business Wire
• Clayton Homes
• Cort Furniture
• Dairy Queen
• FlightSafety International
• Forest River
• Fruit of the Loom
• Helzberg Diamonds
• HH Brown Shoe Group
• ISCAR Metalworking
• Jordan's Furniture
• Marmon Holdings Inc
• McLane Company
• Mouser Electronics
• Nebraska Furniture Mart
• NetJets
• The Pampered Chef
• Richline Group
• Russell Corporation
• See's Candies
• Shaw Industries
• R.C. Willey Home Furnishings
• TTI, Inc.
• World Book
• Xtra Lease

Acme Brick Company is an American manufacturer and distributor of brick and masonry-related construction products and materials. ... Borsheims Fine Jewelry is a jewelry store in Omaha, Nebraska. ... Brooks Sports, Inc. ... Business Wire logo == THIS POSTING MAY BE IN VIOLATION AND MAY NEED TO BE EDITED. IT READS AS AN ADVETISIMENT AND ITS CLAIMS HAVE NOT BEEN VERIFIED. == Business Wire is a company that disseminates full-text news releases from thousands of companies and organizations worldwide to news media, financial markets... Clayton Homes is a manufactured and modular housing company based in Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.A. It was founded in 1966 by Jim Clayton. ... Dairy Queen, abbreviated to DQ, is a global chain of ice-cream and fast-food restaurants. ... FlightSafety International is a provider of professional aviation training, simulation equipment and software. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Fruit of the Loom headquarters building in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ... Helzberg Diamonds is a diamond retail company founded by Morris Helzberg in 1915 in Kansas City, Missouri. ... ISCAR Metalworking is a metal cutting tools company based in Israel. ... Jordans Furniture is a prominent furniture retailer in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, with locations in Reading, Avon, and Natick, Massachusetts and Nashua, New Hampshire. ... McLane Company, Inc. ... Mouser Electronics is a catalog distributor of electronic components based in Mansfield, Texas. ... Nebraska Furniture Mart is a furniture company heaquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. ... NetJets is a subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway, which offers fractional ownership and rental of private jets. ... The Pampered Chef offers a line of kitchen tools, food products, and cookbooks aimed for preparing food in the home. ... Russell Corporation(NYSE: RML)started in Alabama, is a manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment. ... Sees Candies logo A Sees Candies store. ... Shaw Industries is a flooring manufacturer headquartered in Dalton, Georgia. ... TTI, Inc. ... World Book Encyclopedia is, according to its publisher in the United States, the number-one selling print encyclopedia in the world [1]. The first edition (1917) contained 8 volumes. ...

Berkshire Hathaway businesses

Insurance and reinsurance businesses

Insurance and reinsurance business activities are conducted through more than 50 domestic and foreign-based insurance companies. Berkshire’s insurance businesses provide insurance and reinsurance of property and casualty risks primarily in the United States. In addition, as a result of the General Re acquisition in December 1998, Berkshire’s insurance businesses also include life, accident and health reinsurers, as well as internationally-based property and casualty reinsurers.

Berkshire’s insurance companies maintain capital strength at exceptionally high levels. This strength differentiates Berkshire’s insurance companies from their competitors. Collectively, the aggregate statutory surplus of Berkshire’s U.S. based insurers was approximately $48 billion at December 31, 2004. All of Berkshire’s major insurance subsidiaries are rated AAA by Standard & Poor’s Corporation, the highest Financial Strength Rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s, and are rated A++ (superior) by A. M. Best with respect to their financial condition and operating performance. This Triple-A status is the result of Buffett's astuteness in the management of capital, people and business. is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In investment, the credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of a corporation. ... A.M. Best is a NRSRO (Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ...

• GEICO — Berkshire acquired GEICO in January 1996. GEICO is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland and its principal insurance subsidiaries include: Government Employees Insurance Company, GEICO General Insurance Company, GEICO Indemnity Company, and GEICO Casualty Company. Over the past five years, these companies have offered primarily private passenger automobile insurance to individuals in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The subsidiaries market their policies primarily through direct response methods, in which applications for insurance are submitted directly to the companies by telephone, through the mail, or via the Internet.

• General Re — Berkshire acquired General Re in December 1998. General Re held a 91% ownership interest in Cologne Re as of December 31, 2004. General Re subsidiaries currently conduct global reinsurance business in approximately 72 cities and provide reinsurance coverage worldwide. General Re operates the following reinsurance businesses: North American property/casualty, international property/casualty, which principally consists of Cologne Re and the Faraday operations, and life/health reinsurance. General Re’s reinsurance operations are primarily based in Stamford, Connecticut and Cologne, Germany. General Re is one of the largest reinsurers in the world based on net premiums written and capital.

• NRG (Nederlandse Reassurantie Groep) — Berkshire acquired NRG, a Dutch life reinsurance company from ING Group in December 2007.^[4]

• Berkshire Hathaway Assurance — Berkshire created a government bond insurance company to insure municipal and state bonds. These type bonds are issued by local governments to finance public works projects such as schools, hospitals, roads, and sewer systems. Berkshire's large pool of cash and liquid assets, and its perfect credit rating makes it one of the few companies which can compete in this area.^[5]

The Government Employees Insurance Company, usually known by the acronym GEICO, is an American auto insurance company. ... General Re is a reinsurance company. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ING House, ING headquarters in Amsterdam ING Groep N.V. (NYSE: ING, Euronext: INGA) (known as ING Group) is a financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management services. ... Look up December in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Non-insurance businesses

Apparel

• Berkshire’s apparel businesses include manufacturers and distributors of a variety of clothing and footwear. Businesses engaged in the manufacture and distribution of clothing include Fruit of the Loom, Garan, Fechheimer Brothers and Russell Corporation. Berkshire’s footwear businesses include H.H. Brown Shoe Group, Acme Boots and Justin Brands.

• Berkshire acquired Fruit of the Loom on April 29, 2002 for $835 million in cash. Fruit of the Loom, headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is a vertically integrated manufacturer of basic apparel.

• Berkshire acquired Russell Corporation on August 2, 2006 for $600 million or $18.00 per share.

Fruit of the Loom headquarters building in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ... Garanimals is the name of a line of childrens clothing separates, started in 1972 by Garan Incorporated. ... Russell Corporation(NYSE: RML)started in Alabama, is a manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment. ... The Acme Shoe Company is a manufacturer of western footwear. ... Fruit of the Loom headquarters building in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Russell Corporation(NYSE: RML)started in Alabama, is a manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Building products

• In August 2000, Berkshire entered the building products business with the acquisition of Acme Building Brands. Acme, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, manufactures and distributes clay bricks (Acme Brick), concrete block (Featherlite) and cut limestone (Texas Quarries).

• Berkshire acquired Benjamin Moore & Co. in December of 2000. Benjamin Moore, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is a formulator, manufacturer and retailer of primarily architectural coatings, available principally in the United States and Canada.

• Berkshire acquired Johns Manville in February of 2001. JM has been serving the building products industry since 1885 and is a manufacturer of fiber glass wool insulation products for walls, attics and floors in homes and commercial buildings, as well as pipe, duct and equipment insulation products.

• Berkshire acquired a 90% equity interest in MiTek Inc. in July 2001. MiTek is headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri and makes engineered connector products, engineering software and services, and manufacturing machinery for the truss fabrication segment of the building components industry.

• Berkshire acquired Shaw Industries, Inc. in 2001. Shaw, headquartered in Dalton, Georgia, is the world’s second largest carpet manufacturer based on both revenue and volume of production. Shaw designs and manufactures over 3,000 styles of tufted and woven carpet and laminate flooring for residential and commercial use under about 30 brand and trade names and under certain private labels.

• On August 7, 2003, Berkshire acquired Clayton Homes, Inc. Clayton, headquartered near Knoxville, Tennessee, is a vertically integrated manufactured housing company. At year-end 2004, Clayton operated 32 manufacturing plants in 12 states. Clayton’s homes are marketed in 48 states through a network of 1,540 retailers, 391 of which are company-owned sales centers.

Acme Brick Company is an American manufacturer and distributor of brick and masonry-related construction products and materials. ... link titleJohns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. ... Shaw Industries is a flooring manufacturer headquartered in Dalton, Georgia. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Clayton Homes is a manufactured and modular housing company based in Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.A. It was founded in 1966 by Jim Clayton. ...

Flight services

• In 1996, Berkshire acquired FlightSafety International Inc. FSI’s corporate headquarters is located at LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, New York. FSI engages primarily in the business of providing high technology training to operators of aircraft and ships. FlightSafety is the world's leading provider of professional aviation training services.

• Berkshire acquired NetJets Inc. in 1998. NJ is the world’s leading provider of fractional ownership programs for general aviation aircraft. In 1986, NJ created the fractional ownership of aircraft concept and introduced its NetJets program in the United States with one aircraft type. In 2004, the NetJets program operated 15 aircraft types. In late 1996, NJ expanded its fractional ownership programs to Europe via a joint venture arrangement which is now 100% owned by NJ. The fractional ownership of aircraft concept permits customers to acquire a specific percentage of a certain aircraft type and allows them to utilize the aircraft for a specified number of flight hours per annum.

FlightSafety International is a provider of professional aviation training, simulation equipment and software. ... LaGuardia Airport (IATA: LGA, ICAO: KLGA, FAA LID: LGA) (pronounced La-Gwardia) is an airport serving New York City, New York, United States, located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst in the borough of Queens. ... Flushing is a section of the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. ... This article is about the state. ... NetJets is a subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway, which offers fractional ownership and rental of private jets. ...

Retail businesses

• The home furnishings businesses are the Nebraska Furniture Mart, R.C. Willey Home Furnishings, Star Furniture Company, and Jordan’s Furniture, Inc.

• CORT Business Services Corporation was acquired in 2000 by an 80.1% owned subsidiary of Berkshire and is the leading national provider of rental furniture, accessories and related services in the “rent-to-rent” segment of the furniture rental industry.

Other non-insurance businesses

• Marmon Holdings Inc on December 25, 2007. Privately held conglomerate owned by the Pritzker family for over fifty years. Owns and operates an assortment of manufacturing companies that produce railroad tank cars, plumbing pipes, metal fasteners, and wiring and water treatment products used in residential construction.^[6]

• Berkshire acquired McLane Company, Inc. in May 2003 from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. McLane provides wholesale distribution and logistics services in all 50 states and internationally in Brazil to customers that include discount retailers, convenience stores, quick service restaurants, drug stores and movie theatre complexes.

• Scott Fetzer Companies — The Scott Fetzer Companies are a diversified group of 21 businesses that manufacture and distribute a wide variety of products for residential, industrial and institutional use. The two most significant of these businesses are Kirby home cleaning systems and Campbell Hausfeld products. Scott Fetzer also manufactures Ginsu Knives.

• The Buffalo News publishes one edition daily from its headquarters in Buffalo, New York.

• Berkshire acquired XTRA in September 2001. XTRA, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading transportation equipment lessor. XTRA manages a diverse fleet of approximately 105,000 units, constituting a net investment of approximately $1 billion as of December 31, 2004. The fleet includes over-the-road and storage trailers, chassis, intermodal piggyback trailers and domestic containers.

• See's Candies produces boxed chocolates and other confectionery products in two large kitchens in California. See’s revenues are highly seasonal with approximately 50% of total annual revenues being earned in the months of November and December.

• International Dairy Queen services a system of approximately 6,000 stores operating under the names Dairy Queen, Orange Julius and Karmelkorn that offer various dairy desserts, beverages, prepared foods, blended fruit drinks, popcorn and other snack foods.

• In 2002, Berkshire acquired Albecca Inc. Albecca is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, and primarily does business under the Larson-Juhl name. Albecca designs, manufactures and distributes custom framing products, including wood and metal moulding, matboard, foamboard, glass, equipment and other framing supplies.

• Berkshire acquired CTB International Corp. in 2002. CTB, headquartered in Milford, Indiana, is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of systems used in the grain industry and in the production of poultry, hogs, and eggs. Products are produced in the United States and Europe and are sold primarily through a global network of independent dealers and distributors, with peak sales occurring in the second and third quarters.

• In 2002 Berkshire acquired The Pampered Chef, LTD, the largest direct seller of kitchen tools in the United States. Products are researched, designed and tested by TPC, and manufactured by third party suppliers. From its Addison, Illinois headquarters, TPC utilizes a network of more than 65,000 independent sales representatives to sell its products through home-based party demonstrations, principally in the United States.

• Berkshire currently holds 83.7% (80.5% on a fully-diluted basis) of the MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company. At the time of purchase, Berkshire's voting interest was limited to 10% of the company's shares, but this restriction ended when the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 was repealed in 2005.

McLane Company, Inc. ... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... The Kirby Company is a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners and home cleaning accessories, based in Cleveland, Ohio. ... The Buffalo News is the primary newspaper of the Buffalo, New York metropolitan area and its surrounding suburbs. ... Xtras are plug-in applications (alternatively know as extensions, add-ons, or components) for Macromedia products, in particular Macromedia_Director or Authorware. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sees Candies logo A Sees Candies store. ... Dairy Queen, abbreviated to DQ, is a global chain of ice-cream and fast-food restaurants. ... The Pampered Chef offers a line of kitchen tools, food products, and cookbooks aimed for preparing food in the home. ... TPC may stand for: Transaction Processing Performance Council, an IT organization. ... MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company is a holding company controlled by Berkshire Hathaway. ... The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA) was a law that was passed by the United States Congress to facilitate effective state regulation of electric utilities by limiting (with some exceptions) their operations to a single state. ...

Common stock holdings

This includes outstanding stock as reported in the last SEC EDGAR filing (Form 13F), and the latest annual report. ChandruEDGAR, the Electronic Data-Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others who are required by law to file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). Not all SEC filings by public companies are available... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

• American Express Co. (13.1%)
• American Standard Companies
• Anheuser-Busch Cos. (4.8%)
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (17.5%)
• Carmax (10%)
• The Coca-Cola Company (8.6%)
• Comcast
• Comdisco
• ConocoPhillips (1.1%)
• Costco Wholesale
• Diageo PLC
• Gannett
• General Electric
• GlaxoSmithKline
• The Home Depot
• H&R Block Inc. (sold out in 2007)
• Ingersoll Rand
• Iron Mountain
• Johnson & Johnson (2.2%)
• Kraft Foods (8.1%)
• Lexmark International (sold out in 2006)
• Lowe's Companies
• M&T Bank (6.1%)
• Moody’s Corporation (19.1%)
• Mueller Industries (sold out in 2006)
• Nike
• Norfolk Southern Corp.
• Outback Steakhouse
• PetroChina (unloaded 07)
• Pier 1 Imports (sold out in 2007)
• Posco (4.5%)
• Procter & Gamble Co. (3.3%)
• Sanofi-Aventis (1.3%)
• Sealed Air (sold out in 2006)
• ServiceMaster
• Shaw Communications
• SunTrust Banks
• Tesco (2.9%)
• Tyco International
• UnitedHealth Group
• United Parcel Service
• USG (19.0%)
• U.S. Bancorp (4.4%)
• USG Corp (17.2%)
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (0.5%)
• The Washington Post Company (18.2%)
• Wells Fargo (9.2%)
• Wesco Financial Corporation
• White Mountains Insurance (16.3%)

American Express (NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as AmEx or Amex, is a diversified global financial services company, headquartered in New York City. ... American Standard Companies, Inc. ... Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. ... The BNSF Railway (AAR reporting marks BNSF), headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the four remaining transcontinental railroads and one of the largest railroad networks in North America (only one competitor, the Union Pacific Railroad, is larger in size). ... CarMax is the United States largest used-car retailer. ... The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the worlds largest beverage company, largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world, and one of the largest corporations in the United States. ... Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is the largest cable television company and the second largest Internet service provider in the United States. ... ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is an international energy company with its headquarters located in Houston, Texas. ... Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) is a membership warehouse club chain, headquartered in Issaquah, Washington with its flagship Warehouse #1 in nearby Seattle. ... Diageo plc (LSE: DGE, NYSE: DEO) is the largest multinational beer, wine and spirits company in the world. ... Gannett Company, Inc. ... GE redirects here. ... GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE: GSK NYSE: GSK) is a United Kingdom based pharmaceutical, biological, and healthcare company. ... The Home Depot (NYSE: HD), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a big-box home improvement retailer that aims for both the do-it-yourself consumer and the professional in home improvement and construction. ... H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) is the leading tax preparation company in the United States, and claims more than 22 million customers worldwide, with offices in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. ... Ingersoll-Rand NYSE: IR is a diversified industrial firm founded in 1871. ... Iron Mountain is the part of the name of two towns in the United States: Iron Mountain, Michigan Iron Mountain Lake, Missouri Iron Mountain is a records management company with offices all over the world. ... Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is a global American pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. ... Kraft Foods Inc. ... Your All willy heads, i said Your All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All willy headsYour All... “Lowes” redirects here. ... M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) is an American bank. ... Moodys Corporation (NYSE: MCO) is the holding company for Moodys Investors Service which performs financial research and analysis on commercial and government entities. ... Nike, Inc. ... The Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is a publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ... Outback Steakhouse is a casual dining American restaurant chain based in Tampa, Texas with over 900 locations in 23 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. ... PetroChina Company, Limited (simplified Chinese: , traditional Chinese: ) (SEHK: 0857, SSE: 601857, NYSE: PTR) is a Chinese oil company and is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), mainland Chinas biggest producer of oil. ... Pier 1 Imports, Inc. ... The Pohang Iron and Steel Company, or POSCO (KSE: 005490) (NYSE: PKX) (TYO: 5412 ) (LSE: PIDD), based in Pohang, South Korea, is the third largest steel producer in the world. ... Procter & Gamble Co. ... Sanofi-aventis (Euronext: SAN, NYSE: SNY), headquartered in Paris, France, is one of the 3 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, along with Pfizer,GlaxoSmithKline. ... Sealed Air Corporation is a company that makes packing lightweight protective packing material using air enclosed in plastic. ... ServiceMaster (NYSE: SVM) is a Fortune 500 company that provides various services to residences and firms. ... Shaw Communications is a Canadian telecommunications company that provides telephone, internet and television services. ... SunTrust Headquarters at SunTrust Plaza in Atlanta, GA. SunTrust Banks, Inc. ... , For other uses, see Tesco (disambiguation). ... Tyco International Ltd. ... UnitedHealth Group Incorporated NYSE: UNH is a managed health care company. ... United Parcel Service, Inc. ... Categories: Companies traded on NYSE | Corporation stubs | Fortune 500 companies | Companies based in Illinois ... It has been suggested that Firstar Corporation be merged into this article or section. ... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) is an American media company, best known for owning the newspaper it is named after, The Washington Post, and Newsweek magazine. ... An older Wells Fargo branch, located in Berkeley, California Wells Fargos corporate headquarters and main branch Wells Fargo & Co. ... Wesco Financial Coproration (AMEX:WSC) is a diversified financial corporation headquartered in Pasadena, California. ... White Mountains Insurance Group is a holding company with business interests in property and casualty insurance, and reinsurance. ...

Companies with a "beneficial owner" relationship

This includes some of the companies where a Berkshire Hathaway stake is 5% or more of the outstanding stock, as reported in the last proxy statement SEC filing, and the latest annual report. When a firm solicits shareholder votes, the firm needs to file a proxy statement(14a) with the SEC. This source of information is useful in assessing how management is paid and potential conflict-of-interest issues with auditors. ... The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires public companies to file reports regularly so that they can be made available to the public. ...

In order of percentage stake:

• Moody’s Corporation (19.1%)
• The Washington Post Company (18.2%)
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. (17.5%)
• American Express (13.1%)
• Wells Fargo (9.2%)
• The Coca-Cola Company (8.6%)

Moodys Corporation (NYSE: MCO) is the holding company for Moodys Investors Service which performs financial research and analysis on commercial and government entities. ... The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) is an American media company, best known for owning the newspaper it is named after, The Washington Post, and Newsweek magazine. ... Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation NYSE: BNI is the parent company of the BNSF Railway (formerly the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway). ... American Express (NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as AmEx or Amex, is a diversified global financial services company, headquartered in New York City. ... An older Wells Fargo branch, located in Berkeley, California Wells Fargos corporate headquarters and main branch Wells Fargo & Co. ... The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the worlds largest beverage company, largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world, and one of the largest corporations in the United States. ...

Regulatory Filings

• SEC.gov - Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (BRK.A) - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0001067983) the EDGAR database
• SEC.gov - Wesco Financial Corp (WSC) - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0000105729) the EDGAR database
• SEC.gov - Warren E. Buffett - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0000315090) the EDGAR database
• SEC.gov - Charles T. Munger - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0001078511) the EDGAR database

External links

• Berkshire Hathaway Official Website - Source for annual reports, which include Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letters by Warren Buffett.
• Yahoo! - Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Company Profile
• List of Berkshire Hathaway holdings
• Berkshire Hathaway vs S&P 500 charts and table

References

SEC filings

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