Berkshire Hathaway is a multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, led by Warren Buffett. It owns and operates a diverse range of businesses across multiple industries, including insurance, rail transportation, energy generation and distribution, manufacturing, retail, and food service
. Key business activities and subsidiaries include:
- Insurance: Berkshire Hathaway owns major insurance companies such as GEICO (the sixth largest auto insurer in the U.S.) and General Re, a large reinsurer
- Transportation: It owns BNSF Railway, one of the largest freight railroad networks in North America
- Energy: The company operates in energy generation and distribution
- Manufacturing and Retail: Berkshire Hathaway owns companies producing a variety of consumer products, including Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds, and others
- Other Services: The company also has interests in grocery and food service distribution, professional aviation training, fractional aircraft ownership (NetJets), media, logistics, and home services
Additionally, Berkshire Hathaway holds significant equity stakes in major public companies such as American Express, Coca-Cola, Apple, Bank of America, and Kraft Heinz, reflecting its broad investment portfolio
. The company operates with a decentralized management style, allowing its subsidiaries to function independently while benefiting from Berkshire Hathaway’s capital, strategic oversight, and managerial expertise
. Its revenue comes from the diverse operations of its subsidiaries and returns on its large investment portfolio
. In summary, Berkshire Hathaway is a highly diversified conglomerate that generates revenue through ownership and management of a wide array of businesses spanning insurance, transportation, energy, manufacturing, retail, and investments in major public companies