BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC (BRK-B)

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Results of Operations

Net earnings attributable to Berkshire shareholders are disaggregated in the table that follows. Amounts are after deducting income taxes and exclude earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (in millions).

Through our subsidiaries, we engage in numerous diverse business activities. The business segment data (Note 24 to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements and Note 26 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025) should be read in conjunction with this discussion.

Our periodic operating results may be affected in future periods by the impacts of ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical conflicts and events, including wars, developing international trade policies and tariffs, as well as changes in industry or company-specific factors or events. Considerable uncertainty remains as to the ultimate outcome of these events. We are currently unable to reliably predict the ultimate impact on our businesses, whether through changes in the availability of products, supply chain costs and efficiency, and customer demand for our products and services. It is reasonably possible there could be adverse consequences on our operating businesses, as well as on our investments in equity securities, which could significantly affect our earnings.

After-tax earnings from insurance underwriting declined 13.1% in the second quarter and increased 3.6% in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025. We experienced no significant catastrophe events in the first six months of 2026, while after-tax losses from significant events were $850 million in the first six months of 2025. Otherwise, GEICO produced lower underwriting earnings in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025, which were partially offset by increased earnings from reinsurance and other primary insurance business. After-tax earnings from insurance investment income declined $308 million (9.1%) in the second quarter and $522 million (8.3%) in the first six months of 2026 versus the same periods in 2025, attributable to lower interest income, reflecting lower interest rates.

After-tax earnings of BNSF increased 6.3% in the second quarter and 9.5% in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025. Earnings in 2026 benefited from higher shipping volumes and improved operating efficiencies, partly offset by increases in fuel costs and the impact of higher effective income tax rates, primarily attributable to the impacts of reductions in enacted rates in certain states in the second quarter of 2025. After-tax earnings of BHE increased 26.9% in the second quarter and 11.5% in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025, which reflected higher earnings from the U.S. utilities and natural gas pipelines businesses, partially offset by lower earnings from other energy businesses.

After-tax earnings from our manufacturing, service and retailing businesses increased 24.1% in the second quarter and 15.1% in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025. The increases were driven by earnings increases in our industrial products manufacturing and our services businesses.

Investment gains (losses) regularly include significant unrealized gains and losses from changes in market prices of our investments in equity securities and in foreign currency exchange rates applicable to certain of our investments. We believe that investment gains and losses, whether realized from dispositions or unrealized from changes in market prices and exchange rates, are generally meaningless in understanding our reported periodic results or evaluating our periodic economic performance. These gains and losses have caused, and will continue to cause, significant volatility in our periodic earnings.

We recorded an other-than-temporary impairment loss in the second quarter of 2025 on our investment in The Kraft Heinz Company (“Kraft Heinz”), which is accounted for under the equity method. See Note 5 to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

After-tax other earnings increased $1.2 billion in the second quarter and $2.5 billion in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025. The increases were primarily attributable to the impact of foreign currency exchange rate gains and losses on Berkshire and BHFC non-U.S. Dollar denominated borrowings. The after-tax foreign currency exchange gains were $326 million in the second quarter and $575 million in the first six months of 2026 compared to losses of $877 million in the second quarter and $1.6 billion in the first six months of 2025.

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Results of Operations

Insurance—Underwriting

Our periodic underwriting earnings may be subject to considerable volatility from the timing and magnitude of significant property catastrophe loss events. We currently consider consolidated pre-tax losses exceeding $150 million from an event occurring in the current year to be significant. Changes in estimates for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”), including amounts established for occurrences in prior years, and foreign currency transaction gains and losses arising from the remeasurement of non-functional currency denominated assets and liabilities can also significantly affect our periodic underwriting results.

We write primary insurance and reinsurance policies covering property and casualty risks, as well as life and health risks. Our insurance and reinsurance businesses are GEICO, Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group (“BH Primary”) and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group (“BHRG”). We strive to generate pre-tax underwriting earnings (defined as premiums earned less insurance losses/benefits incurred and underwriting expenses) over the long term in all business categories, except in our retroactive reinsurance and periodic payment annuity businesses. We continue to instruct our underwriting managers to decline writing insurance business when the premiums are deemed inadequate to the risks underwritten, without regard to the impact on premium volume. Time-value-of-money concepts are important considerations in establishing premiums received at the inception of our retroactive reinsurance and periodic payment annuity contracts. While no new retroactive reinsurance or periodic payment annuity contracts have been written in recent years, we will continue to record charges to earnings related to the run-off of pre-existing contracts over the remaining claim settlement periods.

Underwriting results of our insurance businesses are summarized below (dollars in millions).

GEICO

GEICO writes property and casualty insurance policies, primarily private passenger auto insurance, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, GEICO writes insurance for certain commercial auto risks, which currently represents less than 5% of premiums written. GEICO offers its policies mainly by direct response methods where most customers apply for insurance coverage directly to the company, and, to a lesser extent, through insurance agencies. GEICO also operates an insurance agency that offers insurance policies written by third parties for individuals desiring coverages that are generally not offered by GEICO, such as homeowners, renters, condominium, life and identity protection insurance. A summary of GEICO’s underwriting results follows (dollars in millions).

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Insurance—Underwriting

GEICO

Premiums written increased $121 million (1.1%) in the second quarter and $289 million (1.3%) in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025, reflecting an increase in commercial auto business, partially offset by lower average premiums per policy for private passenger auto insurance. Premiums earned increased $227 million (2.1%) in the second quarter and $661 million (3.0%) in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025.

Losses and LAE increased $699 million (8.8%) in the second quarter and $1.6 billion (10.1%) in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025. GEICO’s loss ratio (losses and LAE to premiums earned) was 76.6% in the second quarter and 75.3% in the first six months of 2026, increases of 4.8 percentage points and 4.9 percentage points, respectively, compared to 2025. The loss ratio increases reflected the impact of higher claims frequencies and average severities.

Private passenger auto claims frequencies increased in the first six months of 2026 for bodily injury coverage (five to seven percent range) and property damage and collision coverages (three to five percent range) compared to 2025. Private passenger auto average claims severities in the first six months of 2026 increased for bodily injury coverages (ten to twelve percent range) and property damage and collision coverages (zero to three percent range) compared to 2025. The change in reductions in ultimate loss estimates for prior accident years’ claims in the first six months of 2026 compared to 2025 was relatively insignificant.

Underwriting expenses increased $355 million (27.3%) in the second quarter and

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Results of Operations

Net earnings attributable to Berkshire shareholders for each of the past three years are disaggregated in the table that follows. Amounts are after deducting income taxes and exclude earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (in millions).

Through our subsidiaries, we engage in numerous diverse business activities. The business segment data (Note 26 to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements) should be read in conjunction with this discussion.

Our periodic operating results may be affected in future periods by the impacts of ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical conflicts and events, including tensions from developing international trade policies and tariffs, as well as changes in industry or company-specific factors or events. Considerable uncertainty remains as to the ultimate outcome of these events. We are currently unable to reliably predict the ultimate impact on our businesses, whether through changes in the availability of products, supply chain costs and efficiency, and customer demand for our products and services. It is reasonably possible there could be adverse consequences on our operating businesses, as well as on our investments in equity securities, which could significantly affect our future results.

Insurance underwriting generated after-tax earnings of $7.3 billion in 2025, $9.0 billion in 2024 and $5.4 billion in 2023. The comparative earnings decline in 2025 reflected lower earnings from each of our underwriting groups. Overall underwriting results over the past three years were exceptional compared to results over longer periods. However, earnings may decline in the future from the ongoing impacts of competition within the industry and rising claim cost trends. After-tax losses from significant catastrophe events were approximately $850 million in 2025, $1.2 billion in 2024 and $725 million in 2023.

After-tax earnings from insurance investment income declined $1.2 billion (8.5%) in 2025 versus 2024, reflecting lower interest income, attributable to lower interest rates, and dividend income. Insurance investment income increased $4.1 billion in 2024 compared to 2023, driven by higher interest income from short-term investments. Insurance investment income in 2025 was impacted by the effects of large capital distributions to Berkshire at the end of 2024. The income earned on investments (primarily U.S. Treasury Bills) held by Berkshire is included in “other” earnings in the preceding table.

After-tax earnings of BNSF increased 8.8% in 2025 and declined 1.1% in 2024, compared to the corresponding prior year. The increase in 2025 was primarily attributable to lower operating expenses, attributable to improved operating efficiencies, lower litigation accruals, the effect of a charge in 2024 from a labor agreement and a lower effective income tax rate. Earnings in 2024 benefited from higher unit volume, improvements in employee productivity and lower other operating costs, and were negatively impacted by charges in 2024 related to a labor agreement in the fourth quarter and litigation accruals.

After-tax earnings of BHE increased $249 million (6.7%) in 2025 compared to 2024 and $1.4 billion in 2024 compared to 2023. The earnings increase in 2025 reflected lower wildfire loss accruals at PacifiCorp, reduced earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests and the impact of real estate brokerage business litigation accruals in 2024, partially offset by lower earnings from the natural gas pipelines and other energy businesses. The increase in 2024 was primarily due to lower wildfire loss accruals and lower earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests, partially offset by real estate brokerage business litigation accruals.

Earnings from our manufacturing, service and retailing businesses increased 4.4% in 2025 compared to 2024 and decreased 2.2% in 2024 compared to 2023. Results among our numerous operations in 2025 were mixed, with overall earnings increases in our manufacturing and services businesses and lower earnings from the retailing businesses. The earnings decline in 2024 reflected lower earnings from our service and retailing businesses, partially offset by an overall increase from our manufacturing businesses.

K-34

Management’s Discussion and Analysis

Results of Operations

Investment gains (losses) can include significant unrealized gains and losses from changes in market prices of our investments in equity securities and in foreign currency exchange rates applicable to certain of our investments. We believe that investment gains and losses, whether realized from dispositions or unrealized from changes in market prices and exchange rates, are generally meaningless in understanding our reported periodic results or evaluating our periodic economic performance. These gains and losses have caused and will continue to cause significant volatility in our periodic earnings. Investment gains in 2023 also included an after-tax non-cash remeasurement gain of approximately $2.4 billion related to our previously held 38.6% interest in Pilot through the application of the acquisition accounting method.

We recorded other-than-temporary impairment losses in 2025 on our investments in The Kraft Heinz Company (“Kraft Heinz”) and Occidental Petroleum Corporation (“Occidental”) common stock, which are accounted for under the equity method. See Note 5 to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

After-tax other earnings include investment income not allocated to operating businesses, earnings from equity method investments (excluding the previously mentioned other-than-temporary impairment losses recognized on equity method investments), foreign currency exchange rate gains and losses related to Berkshire and BHFC non-U.S. Dollar denominated debt and goodwill impairment losses. After-tax other earnings in 2025 declined $1.3 billion compared to 2024, reflecting after-tax foreign currency exchange rate losses in 2025 of $642 million compared to after-tax gains in 2024 of $1.15 billion, reduced earnings from equity method investments and increased goodwill impairment losses, partially offset by increased investment income.

Insurance—Underwriting

Our periodic underwriting earnings may be subject to considerable volatility from the timing and magnitude of significant property catastrophe loss events. We currently consider consolidated pre-tax losses exceeding $150 million from an event occurring in the current year to be significant. We incurred significant losses from the Southern California wildfires in 2025, Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 and storms and/or floods in New Zealand and Italy in 2023. Changes in estimates for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”), including amounts established for occurrences in prior years, and foreign currency transaction gains and losses arising from the remeasurement of non-functional currency denominated assets and liabilities can also significantly affect our periodic underwriting results.

We write primary insurance and reinsurance policies covering property and casualty risks, as well as life and health risks. Our insurance and reinsurance businesses are GEICO, Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group (“BH Primary”) and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group (“BHRG”). We strive to generate pre-tax underwriting earnings (defined as premiums earned less insurance losses/benefits incurred and underwriting expenses) over the long term in all business categories, except in our retroactive reinsurance and periodic payment annuity businesses. Time-value-of-money concepts are important considerations in establishing premiums received at the inception of these policies. While no new retroactive reinsurance or periodic payment annuity contracts have been written in recent years, we will continue to record charges to earnings related to the run-off of pre-existing contracts over the remaining claim settlement periods.

Underwriting results of our insurance businesses are summarized below (dollars in millions).

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis

Insurance—Underwriting

GEICO

GEICO writes property and casualty insurance policies, primarily private passenger automobile insurance, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. GEICO offers its policies mainly by direct response methods where most customers apply for insurance coverage directly to the company. GEICO also operates an insurance agency that offers insurance policies written by third parties for individuals desiring coverages that are generally not offered by GEICO. A summary of GEICO’s underwriting results follows (dollars in millions).

2025 versus 2024

Premiums written increased $2.3 billion (5.3%) in 2025 compared to 2024, primarily attributable to an increase in policies-in-force over the past year. Premiums earned in 2025 increased $2.2 billion (5.3%) compared to 2024.

Losses and LAE increased $1.8 billion (6.0%) in 2025 compared to 2024. GEICO’s loss ratio (losses and LAE to premiums earned) was 72.3% in 2025 and 71.8% in 2024. The loss ratio increase in 2025 reflected the impact of higher average claims severities, partially offset by an increase in average earned premiums per policy, lower catastrophe losses and a comparative increase in favorable development of prior accident years’ claims estimates. Losses and LAE incurred in 2024 from Hurricanes Helene and Milton were approximately $360 million.

Private passenger auto claims frequencies declined in 2025 versus 2024 for property damage and collision coverages (one to three percent range), while bodily injury coverage frequency increased (four to six percent range). Average claims

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