Shares of Berkshire Hathaway surged on Monday following the release of its impressive fourth-quarter earnings report. The conglomerate, led by legendary investor Warren Buffett, reported operating earnings of $8.481 billion, a substantial 28% increase compared to the same period last year.
The strong performance was primarily driven by robust gains in Berkshire’s insurance business. As a result, Berkshire’s Class A and B shares soared more than 1.5% each. Year-to-date, Class A shares have surged by over 17%, while Class B shares have seen gains of more than 18%.
With this latest earnings report, Berkshire’s market capitalization has climbed to $930.1 billion, up from $905.5 billion at the close of trading on Friday, according to FactSet. The conglomerate’s cash reserves also hit record levels, reaching $167.6 billion in the fourth quarter.
Despite the positive news, some analysts remain cautious about Berkshire’s valuation. Edward Jones’ James Shanahan noted that while Berkshire’s shares have outperformed its peers in the financial services sector, he believes the stock is already fairly valued. He pointed out that the current share price already reflects the conglomerate’s strong earnings outlook.
In his annual letter to shareholders, Buffett tempered expectations for future growth, stating that Berkshire is likely to only slightly outperform the average company going forward. He emphasized that as Berkshire’s net worth approaches 6% of the total market capitalization of the S&P 500, the conglomerate’s ability to achieve significant growth becomes more challenging.
Buffett also indicated that only a few businesses are likely to have a significant impact on Berkshire’s growth through acquisitions. The conglomerate’s last major acquisition was in 2022 when it purchased insurer and conglomerate Alleghany for $11.6 billion.
Despite the tempered outlook, Buffett expressed confidence in Berkshire’s ability to continue generating solid returns while maintaining a lower risk profile compared to the average corporation. Investors will be watching closely to see how Berkshire navigates the challenges ahead and whether it can continue its impressive performance in the years to come.
(Source: NYT | CNBC | Morningstar)
