Berkshire Hathaway was the first United States company outside the technology sector to surpass a $1 trillion market capitalization.
Berkshire crossed the milestone in August 2024, becoming the seventh U.S. company to reach that valuation. Its businesses span insurance, railroads, utilities, energy, manufacturing, and retail, making the achievement notable outside the technology companies that had dominated the trillion-dollar group.
The company is led by Warren Buffett, who transformed Berkshire from a struggling textile manufacturer into a diversified holding company. Insurance operations, especially the reinsurance business, have provided important investment capital for decades.
Berkshire has two widely traded share classes, Class A and Class B. Market-capitalization calculations include both classes, so comparing its share price directly with a single-class company can be misleading.