Business segment data (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of revenues and earnings by segment

Revenues by segment were as follows (in millions).

	Third Quarter				First Nine Months
	2016		2015		2016		2015
Operating Businesses:
Insurance group:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	6,474	$	5,788	$	18,771	$	16,792
General Re		1,389		1,405		4,168		4,397
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		1,872		1,892		5,767		5,317
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		1,629		1,429		4,581		3,948
Investment income		1,043		1,046		3,428		3,474
Total insurance group		12,407		11,560		36,715		33,928
BNSF		5,167		5,600		14,519		16,571
Berkshire Hathaway Energy		5,198		5,144		13,615		14,018
Manufacturing		12,082		9,181		34,837		27,568
McLane Company		12,271		12,264		36,121		36,200
Service and retailing		6,331		6,151		18,607		16,966
Finance and financial products		1,962		1,725		5,677		5,078
		55,418		51,625		160,091		150,329
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount:
Investment and derivative gains/losses		3,608		7,502		5,311		9,105
Income from Kraft Heinz		225		98		851		329
Eliminations and other		(183)		(236)		(322)		(762)
	$	59,068	$	58,989	$	165,931	$	159,001

Earnings before income taxes by segment were as follows (in millions).

	Third Quarter				First Nine Months
	2016		2015		2016		2015
Operating Businesses:
Insurance group:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	138	$	258	$	552	$	471
General Re		100		(2)		144		58
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		(19)		199		86		247
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		190		188		485		566
Investment income		1,029		1,045		3,406		3,466
Total insurance group		1,438		1,688		4,673		4,808
BNSF		1,633		1,839		4,129		5,047
Berkshire Hathaway Energy		1,246		1,153		2,481		2,398
Manufacturing		1,981		1,259		5,150		3,857
McLane Company		106		106		371		384
Service and retailing		449		378		1,230		1,260
Finance and financial products		517		486		1,578		1,480
		7,370		6,909		19,612		19,234
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount:
Investment and derivative gains/losses		3,608		7,502		5,311		9,105
Income from Kraft Heinz		225		98		851		329
Interest expense, not allocated to segments		(201)		(83)		(518)		(391)
Eliminations and other		(477)		(354)		(903)		(712)
	$	10,525	$	14,072	$	24,353	$	27,565