Business segment data (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of revenues and earnings or loss before income taxes by segment

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 and 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 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in millions).

	First Quarter
	2022			2021
Revenues of Operating Businesses
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	9,554		$	8,923
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		3,118			2,654
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		4,820			4,847
Investment income		1,364			1,414
Total insurance		18,856			17,838
BNSF		5,968			5,401
BHE		5,983			5,924
Manufacturing		18,421			15,913
McLane		12,515			11,622
Service and retailing		9,115			7,958
		70,858			64,656
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount
Corporate, eliminations and other		(48	)		(57	)
	$	70,810		$	64,599

	First Quarter
	2022			2021
Earnings Before Income Taxes of Operating Businesses
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	(178	)	$	1,023
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		92			206
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		156			(263	)
Investment income		1,361			1,412
Total insurance		1,431			2,378
BNSF		1,809			1,659
BHE		676			683
Manufacturing		2,824			2,436
McLane		82			103
Service and retailing		1,135			938
		7,957			8,197
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount
Investment and derivative gains (losses)		(1,978	)		5,700
Interest expense, not allocated to segments		(104	)		(114	)
Equity method investments		376			251
Corporate, eliminations and other		561			494
	$	6,812		$	14,528