Fair value measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair value measurements

Note 17. Fair value measurements

Our financial assets and liabilities are summarized below as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 with fair values shown according to the fair value hierarchy (in millions). The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, receivables and accounts payable, accruals and other liabilities are considered to be reasonable estimates of their fair values.

	Carrying      Value		Fair Value		Quoted Prices     (Level 1)		Significant Other  Observable Inputs  (Level 2)		Significant  Unobservable Inputs  (Level 3)
September 30, 2016
Investments in fixed maturity securities:
U.S. Treasury, U.S. government corporations and agencies		$    4,565		$    4,565		$    3,318		$    1,247		$    —
States, municipalities and political subdivisions		1,279		1,279		—		1,279		—
Foreign governments		9,795		9,795		7,704		2,091		—
Corporate bonds		7,789		7,789		—		7,682		107
Mortgage-backed securities		1,219		1,219		—		1,219		—
Investments in equity securities		102,535		102,535		102,534		—		1
Investment in Kraft Heinz common stock		15,711		29,130		29,130		—		—
Other investments		17,493		17,493		376		—		17,117
Loans and finance receivables		13,213		13,650		—		14		13,636
Derivative contract assets (1)		105		105		1		5		99
Derivative contract liabilities:
Railroad, utilities and energy (1)		198		198		5		161		32
Finance and financial products:
Equity index put options		3,973		3,973		—		—		3,973
Notes payable and other borrowings:
Insurance and other		27,514		29,119		—		29,119		—
Railroad, utilities and energy		58,811		69,130		—		69,130		—
Finance and financial products		15,473		16,251		—		15,862		389
December 31, 2015
Investments in fixed maturity securities:
U.S. Treasury, U.S. government corporations and agencies		$    3,427		$    3,427		$    2,485		$     942		$     —
States, municipalities and political subdivisions		1,764		1,764		—		1,764		—
Foreign governments		11,468		11,468		9,188		2,280		—
Corporate bonds		7,926		7,926		—		7,826		100
Mortgage-backed securities		1,442		1,442		—		1,442		—
Investments in equity securities		111,822		111,822		111,786		35		1
Investment in Kraft Heinz common stock		15,714		23,679		23,679		—		—
Investment in Kraft Heinz Preferred Stock		7,710		8,363		—		—		8,363
Other investments		21,717		21,717		315		—		21,402
Loans and finance receivables		12,772		13,112		—		16		13,096
Derivative contract assets (1)		103		103		—		5		98
Derivative contract liabilities:
Railroad, utilities and energy (1)		237		237		13		177		47
Finance and financial products:
Equity index put options		3,552		3,552		—		—		3,552
Credit default		284		284		—		—		284
Notes payable and other borrowings:
Insurance and other		14,599		14,773		—		14,773		—
Railroad, utilities and energy		57,739		62,471		—		62,471		—
Finance and financial products		11,951		12,363		—		11,887		476

⁽¹⁾ Assets are included in other assets and liabilities are included in accounts payable, accruals and other liabilities.

The fair values of substantially all of our financial instruments were measured using market or income approaches. Considerable judgment may be required in interpreting market data used to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the fair values presented are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that could be realized in an actual current market exchange. The use of alternative market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value. The hierarchy for measuring fair value consists of Levels 1 through 3, which are described below.

Level 1—Inputs represent unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities exchanged in active markets.

Level 2—Inputs include directly or indirectly observable inputs (other than Level 1 inputs) such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities exchanged in active or inactive markets; quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities exchanged in inactive markets; other inputs that may be considered in fair value determinations of the assets or liabilities, such as interest rates and yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates; and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Pricing evaluations generally reflect discounted expected future cash flows, which incorporate yield curves for instruments with similar characteristics, such as credit ratings, estimated durations and yields for other instruments of the issuer or entities in the same industry sector.

Level 3—Inputs include unobservable inputs used in the measurement of assets and liabilities. Management is required to use its own assumptions regarding unobservable inputs because there is little, if any, market activity in the assets or liabilities and it may be unable to corroborate the related observable inputs. Unobservable inputs require management to make certain projections and assumptions about the information that would be used by market participants in valuing assets or liabilities.

Reconciliations of assets and liabilities measured and carried at fair value on a recurring basis with the use of significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the nine months ending September 30, 2016 and 2015 follow (in millions).

	Investments  in fixed maturity securities				Investments in equity securities and other  investments				Net  derivative  contract liabilities
Nine months ending September 30, 2016
Balance at December 31, 2015		$	100			$	21,403			$	(3,785	)
Gains (losses) included in:
Earnings			—				2,409				(221	)
Other comprehensive income			3				(2,233	)			(2	)
Regulatory assets and liabilities			—				—				(12	)
Acquisitions, dispositions and settlements			5				(4,461	)			(81	)
Transfers into/out of Level 3			(1	)			—				195
Balance at September 30, 2016		$	107			$	17,118			$	(3,906	)
Nine months ending September 30, 2015
Balance at December 31, 2014		$	8			$	21,996			$	(4,759	)
Gains (losses) included in:
Earnings			—				—				467
Other comprehensive income			—				(1,722	)			(5	)
Regulatory assets and liabilities			—				—				(21	)
Acquisition, dispositions and settlements			103				—				(65	)
Transfers into/out of Level 3			—				—				3
Balance at September 30, 2015		$	111			$	20,274			$	(4,380	)

Gains and losses included in earnings are included as components of investment gains/losses, derivative gains/losses or other revenues, as appropriate and are primarily related to changes in the fair values of derivative contracts and settlement transactions. Gains and losses included in other comprehensive income primarily represent the net change in unrealized appreciation of investments. In the third quarter of 2016, our investment in Wrigley preferred stock was redeemed.

Quantitative information as of September 30, 2016, with respect to assets and liabilities measured and carried at fair value on a recurring basis with the use of significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) follows (in millions).

	Fair   Value		Principal Valuation Techniques	Unobservable Inputs		Weighted Average
Other investments:
Preferred stocks	$	11,615	Discounted cash flow		Expected duration		6 years
					Discount for transferability restrictions and subordination		159 basis points
Common stock warrants		5,502	Warrant pricing model		Discount for transferability and hedging restrictions		7%
Net derivative liabilities:
Equity index put options		3,973	Option pricing model		Volatility		21%

Other investments consist of perpetual preferred stocks and common stock warrants that we acquired in private placement transactions. These investments are subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and may contain provisions that prevent us from economically hedging our investments. In applying discounted estimated cash flow techniques in valuing the perpetual preferred stocks, we made assumptions regarding the expected durations of the investments, as the issuers may have the right to redeem or convert these investments. We also made estimates regarding the impact of subordination, as the preferred stocks have a lower priority in liquidation than debt instruments of the issuers. In valuing the common stock warrants, we used a warrant valuation model. While most of the inputs to the model are observable, we are subject to the aforementioned contractual restrictions and we have applied discounts with respect to such restrictions. Increases or decreases to these inputs would result in decreases or increases to the fair values of the investments.

Our equity index put option contracts are illiquid and contain contract terms that are not standard in derivatives markets. For example, we are not required to post collateral under most of our contracts and many contracts have relatively long durations. For these and other reasons, we classified these contracts as Level 3. The methods we use to value these contracts are those that we believe market participants would use in determining exchange prices with respect to our contracts.

We value equity index put option contracts based on the Black-Scholes option valuation model. Inputs to this model include the index price, contract duration and dividend and interest rates (including a Berkshire non-performance input) which are observable. However, we believe that the valuation of long-duration options using any model is inherently subjective and, given the lack of observable transactions and prices, acceptable values may be subject to wide ranges. Volatility inputs represent our expectations, which consider the remaining duration of each contract and assume that the contracts will remain outstanding until the expiration dates without offsetting transactions occurring in the interim. Increases or decreases in the volatility inputs will produce increases or decreases in the fair values of the liabilities.