Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway is an investment company mostly owned and controlled by Warren Buffett.  It owns many different companies.  It owns several companies completely, and holds large portions of other companies.  It has 27,000 shareholders, and Bill Gates is one of the company's directors.

It takes its name from a textile mill that was started in 1839, bought by Buffett in 1964, and closed in 1985.

Since Berkshire Hathaway's stock has gained a lot of value and never split, a single share of "A stock" is now worth over $400,000.  Because of this, there is a "B" stock that sells for a small fraction of the "A stock".

Companies Berkshire Hathaway owns completely
(partial list)
Ben Bridge Jewelers (jewelers, since 2000)
Benjamin Moore (paint, since 2000)
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (railroads, since 2009)
Clayton Homes (building, since 2003)
Dairy Queen (ice cream retail, since 1997)
Fruit of the Loom (underwear, since 2002)
GEICO (insurance, since 1996)
General Re (insurance, since 1998)
Russell Brands (sportswear, since 2006)
See's Candies (chocolate)

Companies Berkshire Hathaway owns big portion of

American Express Co. (banking, 12.6%)
Bank of America
BYD (Chinese automotives, 9.9%)
Coca-Cola Company (soft drinks, 8.6%)
ConocoPhillips (5.6%)
Costco
General Electric
Goldman Sachs
Home Depot
Kraft Foods (food, 5.6%)
MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company (energy, 83.7%)
Moody's (banking, 12.5%)
M&T Bank (banking, 15.9%)
Procter & Gamble (3.3%)
Union Pacific Railroad
Washington Post (publishing, 18.1%)
Wells Fargo (banking, 19.0%)

Category:American financial companies
Category:Insurance companies of the United States