Berkshire Hathaway ramps up share buybacks as earnings fall

Berkshire Hathaway announced on Saturday that it bought back $9.6 billion of its own shares in the third quarter, more than twice the $4.5 billion repurchased in the prior quarter, lifting total 2026 buybacks to roughly $14.4 billion despite a dip in operating and overall earnings.

How much stock did Berkshire repurchase in the third quarter?

It repurchased $9.6 billion worth of Berkshire stock, according to CNBC, more than double the $4.5 billion bought in the previous quarter and bringing the year‑to‑date total to about $14.4 billion.

What happened to Berkshire's operating earnings?

Operating earnings fell 5.8% year over year to $12.705 billion, down from $13.485 billion a year earlier, as insurance underwriting dropped 43% to $1.352 billion and insurance investment income slipped 14% to $2.734 billion, CNBC reported.

How did overall earnings and investment gains change?

Overall earnings, which include the company's stock‑market portfolio, declined 28% to $22.112 billion from $30.796 billion a year ago, while investment gains fell nearly 50% to $9.407 billion, CNBC said.

The conglomerate’s rail, energy and manufacturing units posted year‑over‑year earnings growth, and its cash balance rose 3% to $377.435 billion, though cash excluding rail, utility and Treasury‑bill payables fell 1.9% to $352.3 billion quarter over quarter. Berkshire’s five largest equity holdings—Alphabet, American Express, Apple, Bank of America and Coca‑Cola—remained unchanged.