Business segment data (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of revenues and earnings by segment

Revenues by segment for the second quarter and first six months of 2018 and 2017 were as follows (in millions).

	Second Quarter				First Six Months
	2018		2017		2018		2017
Operating Businesses:
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	8,284	$	7,244	$	16,199	$         14,089
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		3,912		3,364		7,452	16,596
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		1,953		1,759		3,871	3,435
Investment income		1,399		1,284		2,612	2,416
Total insurance		15,548		13,651		30,134	36,536
BNSF		5,878		5,250		11,502	10,435
Berkshire Hathaway Energy		5,050		4,602		9,562	8,833
Manufacturing		13,853		12,738		26,787	24,835
McLane Company		12,427		12,581		24,616	24,682
Service and retailing		7,062		6,550		13,649	12,643
Finance and financial products		2,366		2,017		4,429	3,866
		62,184		57,389		120,679	121,830
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount:
Corporate, eliminations and other		16		(133)		(6)	(204)
	$	62,200	$	57,256	$	120,673	$       121,626
Earnings before income taxes by segment for the second quarter and first six months of 2018 and 2017 were as follows (in millions).
	Second Quarter				First Six Months
	2018		2017		2018		2017
Operating Businesses:
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	673	$	119	$	1,350	$             294
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		297		(375)		39	(1,118)
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		234		232		333	421
Investment income		1,392		1,283		2,597	2,412
Total insurance		2,596		1,259		4,319	2,009
BNSF		1,655		1,537		3,168	2,882
Berkshire Hathaway Energy		586		649		1,073	1,238
Manufacturing		2,135		1,939		3,990	3,426
McLane Company		67		69		127	157
Service and retailing		697		555		1,212	948
Finance and financial products		565		492		1,059	942
		8,301		6,500		14,948	11,602
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount:
Investment and derivative contract gains/losses		6,362		225		(1,653)	1,000
Interest expense, not allocated to segments		320		(646)		(17)	(857)
Equity method investments		327		346		728	627
Corporate, eliminations and other		(212)		(296)		(431)	(555)
	$	15,098	$	6,129	$	13,575	$      11,817