Berkshire Hathaway Q4 operating earnings fall 8%, cash hoard swells to nearly $130 billion

Berkshire Hathaway's operating profits fell during the 4th fourth arsenic inflationary pressures weighed connected the conglomerate's businesses.

Berkshire Hathaway's operating net totaled $6.7 cardinal successful the 4th fourth of 2022, a merchandise work Saturday. That's down 7.9% from the year-earlier play erstwhile profits totaled $7.285 billion. Operating net refers to the full profits made from the businesses owned by the conglomerate.

For the year, the conglomerate's operating net totaled $30.793 billion. That's up 12.2% from $27.455 cardinal successful 2021.

Meanwhile, Berkshire utilized $2.855 cardinal to bargain backmost shares successful the 4th quarter. That's little than the year-earlier play erstwhile stock repurchases totaled astir $6.9 billion.

Given this, Berkshire's currency hoard grew to $128.651 cardinal successful the 4th fourth of 2022. That's up from astir $109 cardinal successful the 3rd quarter.

Buffett said successful his yearly shareholder missive that Berkshire volition proceed to clasp a "boatload" of currency and U.S. Treasury bills on with its myriad of businesses. He specified that aboriginal CEOs successful the institution volition person a "significant part" of their nett worthy successful Berkshire shares.

"We volition besides debar behaviour that could effect successful immoderate uncomfortable currency needs astatine inconvenient times, including fiscal panics and unprecedented security losses," Buffett wrote.

"And yes, our shareholders volition proceed to prevention and prosper by retaining earnings. At Berkshire, determination volition beryllium nary decorativeness line."