For the year, BNSF’s pre-tax earnings increased 0.5%, to $6.64 billion, while revenue declined 0.5%, to $23.35 billion, the railway’s corporate parent, Berkshire Hathaway, reported on Saturday. BNSF’s net income declined 1.1%, to $5.03 billion.

From 1965 to 2023, Berkshire Hathaway expanded its net earnings at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20% from $2 million to $96.2 billion. A $1,000 investment in the company on the day Buffett took the helm would be worth $2.48 million today. The same investment in the S&P 500 would only have grown to about $68,200.

The conglomerate's operating profit — earnings from the company's wholly owned businesses — skyrocketed 71% to $14.5 billion in the fourth quarter.

Greg Abel, born in 1962 in Edmonton, Alberta, will succeed Warren Buffett as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He joined through its energy division and became Vice Chairman in 2018, with Buffett confirming him as his successor in 2021.

Key Points ・Berkshire Hathaway reported a strong year but faced earnings declines in more than half of its subsidiaries. ・Buffett acknowledged past investment missteps but maintained confidence in long-term strategies.

Berkshire Hathaway's book value has lost some relevance; the insurance business and subsidiaries like BNSF are big factors in this consideration. See why BRK.A stock is a Hold.

Here are three ways to follow the path set out by Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett in the latest letter to shareholders.

With a market cap of $1.1 trillion, Berkshire's other operations include a railway ... Hathaway Reinsurance Group, provide significant investment capital, while strategic acquisitions, such as ...

Berkshire Hathaway shares got a boost after Warren ... Class A shares of the Omaha-based parent of Geico and BNSF Railway jumped nearly 4% Monday following Berkshire's earnings report Saturday.

However, another strategy would be to simply invest in Berkshire Hathaway -- which ... It now owns well-known brands like GEICO, BNSF Railway, Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, Duracell, Acme ...