Berkshire Hathaway Reports Surge in Second Quarter Profit and Increased Share Buybacks
3 sources across 3 countries · Brazil · Germany · United Kingdom
Who reported this
- CNN Brasil
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
- Reuters
What the colours mean
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- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Berkshire Hathaway reported a net profit of US$ 25.67 billion for the second quarter of 2026, more than doubling the US$ 12.37 billion earned during the same period in 2025. Total revenue for the quarter reached US$ 101.808 billion, up from US$ 92.515 billion a year earlier. The company noted that investment gains totaled US$ 16.077 billion, though it cautioned that fluctuations from the revaluation of stocks in its portfolio can create volatility and may have limited analytical value for assessing recurring performance.
Under the leadership of CEO Greg Abel, the company increased its operating profit by 16 percent to US$ 12.98 billion. This growth was supported by higher earnings from the BNSF railway company as well as the manufacturing, services, and retail sectors. The net profit increase was also influenced by a US$ 3.76 billion write down on the Kraft Heinz investment that had burdened the previous year's results.
Berkshire Hathaway reduced its cash reserves from a record US$ 380.2 billion in the previous quarter to US$ 364.7 billion. This decrease was driven by an acceleration in share buybacks, totaling US$ 4.5 billion in the second quarter and an additional US$ 3.3 billion in July. For the first time in 14 quarters, the company purchased more shares than it sold, including a US$ 10 billion increase in its stake in Alphabet.
How each side framed it
- Centre
- These reports focused on the raw financial data, emphasizing the growth in net profit and revenue.
- Centre-right
- This report framed the results around the transition in leadership to Greg Abel and his strategic shift toward more aggressive share buybacks compared to Warren Buffett.
Sources
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