Business segment data (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 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 second quarter and first six months of 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in millions).

	Second Quarter					First Six Months
	2022		2021			2022			2021
Revenues of Operating Businesses
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	9,807	$	9,546		$	19,361		$	18,469
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		3,313		2,755			6,431			5,409
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		4,967		4,862			9,787			9,709
Investment income		2,284		1,459			3,648			2,873
Total insurance		20,371		18,622			39,227			36,460
BNSF		6,640		5,809			12,608			11,210
BHE		6,518		6,085			12,501			12,009
Manufacturing		19,772		17,412			38,193			33,325
McLane		13,262		12,295			25,777			23,917
Service and retailing		9,617		8,977			18,732			16,935
		76,180		69,200			147,038			133,856
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount
Corporate, eliminations and other		—		(86	)		(48	)		(143	)
	$	76,180	$	69,114		$	146,990		$	133,713

	Second Quarter						First Six Months
	2022			2021			2022			2021
Earnings (Loss) Before Income Taxes of Operating Businesses
Insurance:
Underwriting:
GEICO	$	(487	)	$	626		$	(665	)	$	1,649
Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group		242			166			334			372
Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group		967			(327	)		1,123			(590	)
Investment income		2,283			1,456			3,644			2,868
Total insurance		3,005			1,921			4,436			4,299
BNSF		2,151			1,979			3,960			3,638
BHE		564			739			1,240			1,422
Manufacturing		3,028			2,714			5,852			5,150
McLane		76			84			158			187
Service and retailing		1,199			1,186			2,334			2,124
		10,023			8,623			17,980			16,820
Reconciliation of segments to consolidated amount
Investment and derivative gains (losses)		(66,919	)		27,394			(68,897	)		33,094
Interest expense, not allocated to segments		(100	)		(144	)		(204	)		(258	)
Equity method investments		231			147			607			398
Corporate, eliminations and other		1,283			(299	)		1,844			195
	$	(55,482	)	$	35,721		$	(48,670	)	$	50,249