Operating profit rose 41% to $10.76 billion, even as Berkshire's net loss more than quadrupled to $12.77 billion.
"Against that backdrop it's not surprising that Berkshire's consumer and housing-related subsidiaries are seeing pressure," she said.
"Berkshire is disciplined," said Tom Russo, a partner at Gardner Russo & Quinn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania who has owned Berkshire stock since 1982.
Berkshire's net results swing widely because accounting rules require the company to report investment gains and losses even if it buys and sells nothing.
His $117.5 billion net worth ranks fifth worldwide according to Forbes magazine.
Persons:
Rick Wilking, Warren Buffett's, Jim Shanahan, Edward Jones, Cathy Seifert, extol, Buffett, Tom Russo, Gardner Russo, Quinn, Cash, Berkshire's, Ian, Geico, Shanahan, PACIFICORP, Haslam, Jonathan Stempel, Ira Iosebashvili, Jason Neely, Diane Craft
Organizations:
Berkshire Hathaway, REUTERS, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Apple, Treasury, BNSF, Clayton Homes ., Berkshire, Forbes, . Berkshire, Thomson
Locations:
Omaha, U.S, Berkshire, Omaha , Nebraska, Lancaster , Pennsylvania, California, Florida , New Jersey, New York, United States, Israel