Berkshire Hathaway, founded in 1839, is the oldest company in the S&P 500 and a major market-cap investment holding.
Berkshire Hathaway traces its corporate history to the Valley Falls Company, a textile manufacturer founded in Rhode Island in 1839. Warren Buffett and his investment partners gradually acquired control of the struggling textile business and transformed it into a diversified holding company.
Today Berkshire owns or invests in businesses across insurance, railroads, utilities, manufacturing, retail, and finance. Its insurance operations, especially GEICO and General Re, provide capital that can be invested in other assets.
Berkshire has two widely followed share classes, Class A and Class B. Class A shares are extraordinarily expensive individually, while Class B shares provide a lower-priced alternative with reduced voting power. Share price alone does not determine market capitalization.