Company: BRK-A
Filing Date: 2025-02-24
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-025210
Chunk: 87

Company: BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-24
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1B
Chunk 87
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 estate brokerage business continues to be negatively impacted by the availability of homes for sale and high home prices. 

Corporate interest and other after-tax earnings include BHE corporate interest expense and unallocated corporate and income tax expenses. Noncontrolling interests and preferred stock dividends include earnings attributable to non-Berkshire owners of BHE common stock and dividends on preferred stock held by other Berkshire subsidiaries. All remaining noncontrolling interests in BHE common stock were acquired in 2024 and the preferred stock is expected to be redeemed in 2025. 

2023 versus 2022

Net earnings of the U.S. utilities declined $1.4 billion in 2023 compared to 2022. The decline reflected an increase in energy operating expenses, including an increase in pre-tax loss accruals, net of expected insurance recoveries, of $1.6 billion for the Wildfires. The decline in earnings also reflected higher interest expense and lower electric utility margin. These items were partially offset by increases in other income and lower depreciation and amortization expense. 

The U.S. utilities’ electric utility margin was $7.5 billion in 2023, a decrease of $170 million (2.2%) versus 2022. The decline reflected lower volumes and wholesale rates, as well as increased energy costs, partially offset by an increase in retail customer rates in certain territories. Retail customer volumes decreased 0.8% overall (down 0.8% at PacifiCorp and 2.6% at NV Energy and up 1.3% at MEC) in 2023 compared to 2022, primarily due to an overall unfavorable impact of weather, partially offset by increases in customer usage and the average number of customers.

K-44

Management’s Discussion and Analysis 

Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Net earnings of natural gas pipelines increased $39 million in 2023 compared to 2022. The increase reflected higher regulated transportation and storage services revenues from certain general rate cases and decreased earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests in Cove Point, partially offset by higher operating expenses.

Net earnings of other energy businesses decreased $332 million in 2023 compared to 2022. The decline reflected lower earnings at Northern Powergrid due to unfavorable results from the upstream gas exploration and production business, including the write-off of capitalized exploration costs and lower gas production volumes and prices, as well as from higher deferred income tax expense related to the enactment of the U.K. Energy Profits Levy. The earnings decline was also attributable to