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Notes payable and other borrowings
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Notes payable and other borrowings

(17)

Notes payable and other borrowings

Notes payable and other borrowings are summarized below (in millions). The weighted average interest rates and maturity date ranges shown in the following tables are based on borrowings as of December 31, 2020.

 

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

Interest Rate

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Insurance and other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“Berkshire”):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Dollar denominated due 2021-2047

 

 

3.2

%

 

$

8,308

 

 

$

8,324

 

Euro denominated due 2021-2035

 

 

1.0

%

 

 

8,326

 

 

 

7,641

 

Japanese Yen denominated due 2023-2060

 

 

0.7

%

 

 

6,031

 

 

 

3,938

 

Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation (“BHFC”):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Dollar denominated due 2021-2050

 

 

3.7

%

 

 

10,766

 

 

 

8,679

 

Great Britain Pound denominated due 2039-2059

 

 

2.5

%

 

 

2,347

 

 

 

2,274

 

Other subsidiary borrowings due 2021-2045

 

 

4.2

%

 

 

4,682

 

 

 

5,262

 

Short-term subsidiary borrowings

 

 

2.5

%

 

 

1,062

 

 

 

1,472

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

41,522

 

 

$

37,590

 

 

In March 2020, Berkshire repaid €1.0 billion of maturing senior notes and issued €1.0 billion of 0.0% senior notes due in 2025. In April 2020, Berkshire issued ¥195.5 billion (approximately $1.8 billion) of senior notes with maturity dates ranging from 2023 to 2060 and a weighted average interest rate of 1.07%.

Borrowings of BHFC, a wholly owned finance subsidiary of Berkshire, consist of senior unsecured notes used to fund manufactured housing loans originated or acquired and equipment held for lease of certain subsidiaries. BHFC borrowings are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Berkshire. During 2020, BHFC repaid $900 million of maturing senior notes and issued $3.0 billion of senior notes consisting of $500 million of 1.85% notes due in 2030, $750 million of 1.45% notes due in 2030 and $1.75 billion of 2.85% notes due in 2050.

The carrying values of Berkshire and BHFC non-U.S. Dollar denominated senior notes (€6.85 billion, £1.75 billion and ¥625.5 billion par) reflect the applicable exchange rates as of the balance sheet dates. The effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates during the period are recorded in earnings as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses. Changes in the exchange rates resulted in pre-tax losses of approximately $1.0 billion in 2020 and pre-tax gains of $192 million in 2019 and $366 million in 2018.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(17)

Notes payable and other borrowings (Continued)

In addition to BHFC borrowings, Berkshire guaranteed approximately $1.2 billion of other subsidiary borrowings at December 31, 2020. Generally, Berkshire’s guarantee of a subsidiary’s debt obligation is an absolute, unconditional and irrevocable guarantee for the full and prompt payment when due of all payment obligations.

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

December 31,

 

 

Interest Rate

 

 

2020

 

2019

 

Railroad, utilities and energy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company (“BHE”) and subsidiaries:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BHE senior unsecured debt due 2021-2051

 

4.2

%

 

$

13,447

 

$

8,581

 

Subsidiary and other debt due 2021-2064

 

4.1

%

 

 

36,420

 

 

30,772

 

Short-term borrowings

 

1.8

%

 

 

2,286

 

 

3,214

 

Burlington Northern Santa Fe ("BNSF") and subsidiaries due 2021-2097

 

4.6

%

 

 

23,220

 

 

23,211

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

75,373

 

$

65,778

 

 

BHE subsidiary debt represents amounts issued pursuant to separate financing agreements. Substantially all of the assets of certain BHE subsidiaries are, or may be, pledged or encumbered to support or otherwise secure debt. These borrowing arrangements generally contain various covenants, including covenants which pertain to leverage ratios, interest coverage ratios and/or debt service coverage ratios. In November 2020, BHE’s subsidiary debt increased $5.6 billion for the debt assumed in connection with the Dominion pipeline business acquisition. See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. During 2020, BHE and its subsidiaries also issued new term debt of approximately $7.6 billion with maturity dates ranging from 2025 to 2062 and a weighted average interest rate of 3.2% and repaid $3.2 billion of term debt and reduced short-term borrowings.

BNSF’s borrowings are primarily senior unsecured debentures. During 2020, BNSF issued $575 million of 3.05% senior unsecured debentures due in 2051 and repaid debt of $570 million. As of December 31, 2020, BNSF, BHE and their subsidiaries were in compliance with all applicable debt covenants. Berkshire does not guarantee any debt, borrowings or lines of credit of BNSF, BHE or their subsidiaries.

As of December 31, 2020, our subsidiaries had unused lines of credit and commercial paper capacity aggregating approximately $9.3 billion to support short-term borrowing programs and provide additional liquidity. Such unused lines of credit included approximately $8.2 billion related to BHE and its subsidiaries.

Debt principal repayments expected during each of the next five years are as follows (in millions). Amounts in 2021 include short-term borrowings.

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Insurance and other

 

$

4,354

 

 

$

1,593

 

 

$

6,021

 

 

$

2,343

 

 

$

2,817

 

Railroad, utilities and energy

 

 

5,044

 

 

 

3,405

 

 

 

4,792

 

 

 

3,965

 

 

 

3,777

 

 

 

$

9,398

 

 

$

4,998

 

 

$

10,813

 

 

$

6,308

 

 

$

6,594