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Berkshire Hathaway's Earnings Plunge 29% Amid Mixed Analyst Views

3/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A shares fell 4.9% after a fourth-quarter report showed $10.2 billion in operating earnings, down 29% from prior year, driven by a 54% drop in insurance underwriting profits.
Greg Abel, Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO, did not signal immediate strategic changes and will prioritize reinvestment and share repurchases over dividends.
Analysts expressed mixed views on dividends, noting Berkshire's defensive traits could support stock performance amid geopolitical tensions.

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Story summary

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A shares fell 4.9% after a fourth-quarter report showed $10.2 billion in operating earnings, down 29% from prior year, driven by a 54% drop in insurance underwriting profits.
Greg Abel, Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO, did not signal immediate strategic changes and will prioritize reinvestment and share repurchases over dividends.
Analysts expressed mixed views on dividends, noting Berkshire's defensive traits could support stock performance amid geopolitical tensions.