Significant business acquisitions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Significant business acquisitions

(2) Significant business acquisitions

Our long-held acquisition strategy is to acquire businesses with consistent earning power, good returns on equity and able and honest management at sensible prices. In 2012, we completed several smaller-sized business acquisitions, most of which we consider as “bolt-on” acquisitions to several of our existing business operations. Aggregate consideration paid in 2012 for acquisitions was approximately $3.2 billion, which included $438 million for entities that will develop, construct and subsequently operate renewable energy generation facilities. We do not believe that these acquisitions are material, individually or in the aggregate, to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

On September 16, 2011, Berkshire completed the acquisition of The Lubrizol Corporation (“Lubrizol”) pursuant to a merger agreement, under which Berkshire acquired all of the outstanding shares of Lubrizol common stock for cash of $135 per share (approximately $8.7 billion in the aggregate). Lubrizol, based in Cleveland, Ohio, is an innovative specialty chemical company that produces and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These technologies include additives for engine oils, other transportation-related fluids and industrial lubricants, as well as additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for personal care products and pharmaceuticals; specialty materials, including plastics; and performance coatings. Lubrizol’s industry-leading technologies in additives, ingredients and compounds enhance the quality, performance and value of customers’ products, while reducing their environmental impact. We accounted for the Lubrizol acquisition pursuant to the acquisition method. The valuation of the identified assets and liabilities and the resulting excess amount recorded as goodwill as of the acquisition date was completed as of December 31, 2011. Lubrizol’s financial results are included in our Consolidated Financial Statements beginning as of September 16, 2011.

On February 12, 2010, we acquired all of the outstanding common stock of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (“BNSF”) that we did not already own (about 264.5 million shares or 77.5% of the outstanding shares) for aggregate consideration of $26.5 billion that consisted of cash of approximately $15.9 billion with the remainder in Berkshire common stock (80,931 Class A shares and 20,976,621 Class B shares). BNSF is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and through its wholly-owned subsidiary, BNSF Railway Company, currently operates one of the largest railroad systems in North America with approximately 32,500 route miles of track (including 23,000 route miles of track owned by BNSF) in 28 states and two Canadian provinces.

We accounted for the BNSF acquisition pursuant to the acquisition method and our valuation of the identified assets and liabilities and the resulting excess amount recorded as goodwill as of the acquisition date was completed as of December 31, 2010. BNSF’s financial results are consolidated in our financial statements beginning on February 12, 2010. Prior to February 12, 2010, we owned 76.8 million shares of BNSF (22.5% of the outstanding shares), which we acquired between August 2006 and January 2009. We accounted for those shares pursuant to the equity method and as of February 12, 2010, our investment had a carrying value of approximately $6.6 billion. Upon completion of the acquisition of the remaining BNSF shares, we re-measured our previously owned investment in BNSF at fair value. Accordingly, in 2010, we recognized a one-time holding gain of $979 million representing the difference between the fair value of the BNSF shares that we acquired prior to February 12, 2010 and our carrying value under the equity method.

We have owned a controlling interest in Marmon Holdings, Inc. (“Marmon”) since 2008. In the fourth quarter of 2012, pursuant to the terms of the 2008 Marmon acquisition agreement, we acquired an additional 10% of the outstanding shares of Marmon held by noncontrolling interests for aggregate consideration of approximately $1.4 billion. Approximately $800 million of the consideration was paid in the fourth quarter of 2012, and the remainder is payable in March 2013. In the fourth quarter of 2010, we acquired 16.6% of Marmon’s outstanding common stock for approximately $1.5 billion. As a result of these acquisitions, our ownership interest in Marmon has increased to approximately 90%. These purchases were accounted for as acquisitions of noncontrolling interests. The differences between the consideration paid or payable and the carrying amounts of the noncontrolling interests acquired were recorded as reductions in Berkshire’s shareholders equity of approximately $700 million in 2012 and $614 million in 2010. We are contractually required to acquire substantially all of the remaining noncontrolling interests of Marmon no later than March 31, 2014, for an amount that will be based on Marmon’s future operating results.