Berkshire Hathaway, led for decades by Warren Buffett, is a major market-cap business built around insurance and investments.
Berkshire Hathaway began as a textile manufacturer, but Buffett and his investment partners transformed it into a diversified holding company. Insurance became central because premiums provide investable funds known as “float,” while the company also owns operating businesses and large portfolios of public-company shares.
Its subsidiaries and investments have included GEICO, BNSF Railway, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and numerous consumer brands. This combination makes Berkshire different from a pure technology company or a conventional bank.
Berkshire’s Class A shares are famous for their exceptionally high per-share price because the company has historically avoided stock splits. Market capitalization, however, depends on the total value of all shares, not simply the price of one share. The company is frequently included among the world’s most valuable public corporations.