Berkshire Hathaway was the first publicly traded US company outside technology to surpass US$1 trillion in market value.
Berkshire crossed the US$1 trillion market-cap threshold in August 2024, becoming the first US non-technology company to do so. Its businesses span insurance, railroads, utilities, energy, manufacturing, and retail, making it far more diversified than a typical single-industry corporation.
The company is closely associated with Warren Buffett, who became its chairman and chief executive after acquiring control in the 1960s. Buffett transformed Berkshire from a struggling textile manufacturer into a holding company that owns operating businesses and large investments in publicly traded companies.
Berkshire’s Class A shares are among the most expensive individual shares in the world because the company has never split them. That high per-share price is not itself the reason Berkshire is valuable; market capitalization depends on both share price and the total number of shares outstanding.