Quarterly data (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of quarterly revenues and earnings

A summary of revenues and earnings by quarter for each of the last two years is presented in the following table. This information is unaudited. Dollars are in millions, except per share amounts.


	1^st Quarter		2^nd Quarter		3^rd Quarter		4^th Quarter
2016
Revenues	$	52,163	$	54,254	$	58,843	$	58,344
Net earnings attributable to Berkshire shareholders *		5,589		5,001		7,198		6,286
Net earnings attributable to Berkshire shareholders per equivalent Class A common share		3,401		3,042		4,379		3,823
2015
Revenues	$	48,593	$	51,549	$	59,070	$	51,731
Net earnings attributable to Berkshire shareholders *		5,164		4,013		9,428		5,478
Net earnings attributable to Berkshire shareholders per equivalent Class A common share		3,143		2,442		5,737		3,333

*	Includes investment and derivative gains/losses. After-tax investment and derivative gains/losses for the periods presented above are as follows (in millions):


	1^st Quarter		2^nd Quarter		3^rd Quarter		4^th Quarter
Investment and derivative gains/losses—2016	$	1,852	$	394	$	2,347	$	1,904
Investment and derivative gains/losses—2015		920		123		4,877		805