Berkshire and its subsidiaries hold investments in certain businesses that are accounted for pursuant to the equity method. Currently, the most significant of these is our investment in the common stock of The Kraft Heinz Company (“Kraft Heinz”). Kraft Heinz is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and marketers of food and beverage products, including condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee and other grocery products. Berkshire currently owns 325,442,152 shares of Kraft Heinz common stock representing 26.6% of the outstanding shares.

We recorded equity method earnings from our investment in Kraft Heinz of $95 million in 2020, $493 million in 2019 and losses of approximately $2.7 billion in 2018. Equity method earnings (losses) included the effects of goodwill and identifiable intangible asset impairment charges recorded by Kraft Heinz. Our share of such charges was approximately $850 million in 2020, $450 million in 2019 and $3.7 billion in 2018. We received dividends from Kraft Heinz of $521 million in each of 2020 and 2019 and $814 million in 2018, which we recorded as reductions in our carrying value.

Shares of Kraft Heinz common stock are publicly-traded and the fair value of our investment was approximately $11.3 billion at December 31, 2020 and $10.5 billion at December 31, 2019. The carrying value of our investment was approximately $13.3 billion at December 31, 2020 and $13.8 billion at December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2020, the carrying value of our investment exceeded the fair value based on the quoted market price by $2.0 billion (15% of carrying value). In light of this fact, we evaluated our investment in Kraft Heinz for impairment. We utilize no bright-line tests in such evaluations. Based on the available facts and information regarding the operating results of Kraft Heinz, our ability and intent to hold the investment until recovery, the relative amount of the decline and the length of time that fair value was less than carrying value, we concluded that recognition of an impairment loss in earnings was not required. However, we will continue to monitor this investment and it is possible that an impairment loss will be recorded in earnings in a future period based on changes in facts and circumstances or intentions.

December 26,

2020

December 28,

2019

Assets

99,830

101,450

Liabilities

49,587

49,701

Year ending

December 26,

2020

Year ending

December 28,

2019

Year ending

December 29,

2018

Sales

26,185

24,977

26,268

Net earnings (losses) attributable to Kraft Heinz common shareholders

356

1,935

(10,192

)

Other investments accounted for pursuant to the equity method include our investments in Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC (“Berkadia”), Pilot Travel Centers LLC (“Pilot”) and Electric Transmission Texas, LLC (“ETT”). The carrying value of our investments in these entities was approximately $4.0 billion as of December 31, 2020 and $3.7 billion as of December 31, 2019. Our equity method earnings in these entities were $631 million in 2020, $683 million in 2019 and $563 million in 2018. Additional information concerning these investments follows.

We own a 50% interest in Berkadia, with Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (“Jefferies”) owning the other 50% interest. Berkadia is a servicer of commercial real estate loans in the U.S., performing primary, master and special servicing functions for U.S. government agency programs, commercial mortgage-backed securities transactions, banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. A source of funding for Berkadia’s operations is through its issuance of commercial paper, which is currently limited to $1.5 billion. On December 31, 2020, Berkadia’s commercial paper outstanding was $1.47 billion. The commercial paper is supported by a surety policy issued by a Berkshire insurance subsidiary. Jefferies is obligated to indemnify us for one-half of any losses incurred under the policy.

A Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company subsidiary owns a 50% interest in ETT, an owner and operator of electric transmission assets in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas footprint. American Electric Power owns the other 50% interest.

On October 3, 2017, we entered into an investment agreement and an equity purchase agreement whereby we acquired a 38.6% interest in Pilot, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Pilot is the largest operator of travel centers in North America, supplying more than 11 billion gallons of fuel per year via more than 950 retail locations across 44 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces and through wholesale distribution. The Haslam family currently owns a 50.1% interest in Pilot and a third party owns the remaining 11.3% interest. We also entered into an agreement to acquire in 2023 an additional 41.4% interest in Pilot with the Haslam family retaining a 20% interest. As a result, Berkshire will become the majority owner of Pilot in 2023.