Business segment data

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Business segment data

Note 24. Business segment data

Our operating businesses include a large and diverse group of insurance, manufacturing, service and retailing businesses. We organize our reportable business segments in a manner that reflects how management views those business activities. Certain businesses are grouped together for segment reporting based upon similar products or product lines, marketing, selling and distribution characteristics, even though those business units are operated under separate local management. Revenues and earnings before income taxes by segment for the first quarter of 2020 and 2019 were as follows (in millions).

	First Quarter
	2020		2019
Revenues of Operating Businesses:
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	9,109	$	8,622
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		2,369		2,151
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		4,270		3,546
Investment income		1,648		1,487
Total insurance		17,396		15,806
BNSF		5,417		5,762
Berkshire Hathaway Energy		4,507		4,672
Manufacturing		15,035		15,070
McLane Company		11,821		12,199
Service and retailing		6,956		7,025
		61,132		60,534
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount:
Corporate, eliminations and other		133		144
	$	61,265	$	60,678

	First Quarter
	2020			2019
Earnings Before Income Taxes of Operating Businesses:
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	984		$	770
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		(33	)		(30	)
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		(489	)		(253	)
Investment income		1,647			1,485
Total insurance		2,109			1,972
BNSF		1,584			1,665
Berkshire Hathaway Energy		419			540
Manufacturing		2,111			2,194
McLane Company		65			111
Service and retailing		558			621
		6,846			7,103
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount:
Investment and derivative gains (losses)		(70,275	)		20,322
Interest expense, not allocated to segments		(136	)		(109	)
Equity method investments		300			168
Corporate, eliminations and other		216			163
	$	(63,049	)	$	27,647