Company: BRK-A
Filing Date: 2025-08-04
Form Type: 10-Q
Source: 0000950170-25-101578
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Company: BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC
Filing Date: 2025-08-04
Form: 10-Q
Item: Part I, Item 2
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 are currently unable to reliably predict the ultimate impact on our businesses, whether through changes in the availability of products, supply chain costs and efficiency, and customer demand for our products and services. It is reasonably possible there could be adverse consequences on most, if not all, of our operating businesses, as well as on our investments in equity securities, which could significantly affect our future results. 

Insurance underwriting after-tax earnings decreased $271 million in the second quarter and $1.5 billion in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024. Underwriting results in the first six months of 2025 included after-tax losses of approximately $850 million from the Southern California wildfires, which occurred in the first quarter. After-tax earnings from insurance investment income increased $47 million (1.4%) in the second quarter and $342 million (5.8%) in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024, attributable to higher average short-term investment balances, partially offset by lower interest rates and dividend income, as well as the impact of capital distributions to Berkshire in the fourth quarter of 2024. The subsequent investment income earned on such distributions is included in other earnings in the above table. 

After-tax earnings of BNSF increased $239 million (19.5%) in the second quarter and $310 million (13.1%) in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024, primarily from improved operating efficiencies and productivity and from lower effective income tax rates. After-tax earnings of BHE increased $47 million (7.2%) in the second quarter and $427 million (31.1%) in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024. The earnings increases reflected higher earnings from the U.S. utilities and lower earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests and reduced losses from the real estate brokerage businesses, primarily due to the impact of litigation settlement charges in the first quarter of 2024, partially offset by lower earnings from the natural gas pipelines and other energy businesses. 

After-tax earnings from our manufacturing, service and retailing businesses increased $221 million (6.5%) in the second quarter and $193 million (3.0%) in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024. Results in 2025 among our numerous operations were mixed.  

Investment gains (losses) derive from our investments in equity securities and can include significant unrealized gains and losses from changes in market prices and foreign currency exchange rates applicable to certain