Berkshire Hathaway was the first publicly traded U.S. company founded before 1900 to exceed a $1 trillion market capitalization.
Berkshire Hathaway passed the $1 trillion valuation in August 2024. The company was founded in 1839 as a textile manufacturer, but its modern identity was built after Warren Buffett and his investment partnership took control in the 1960s and transformed it into a diversified holding company.
Berkshire owns operating businesses including insurance, railroads, utilities, energy, manufacturing, and consumer brands. Its large equity portfolio has also included major stakes in companies such as Apple, Coca-Cola, and American Express.
The company’s Class A shares are famously expensive because Berkshire has never split them. That high per-share price does not by itself determine market capitalization; the relevant measure is the price multiplied by all outstanding Class A and Class B shares.