#5 Berthshire Hathaway

Company Name	Company Name
Founded	1839 (as a textile manufacturing company)
CEO	Warren Buffett (since 1965)
Headquarters	Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Industry	Conglomerate (Insurance, Investments, Retail, Utilities, Manufacturing)
Primary Services	Insurance (GEICO, Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance), Investments (stocks, bonds), Retail (NetJets, Duracell), Energy (Berkshire Hathaway Energy)
Market Cap (2023)	~$850 billion (subject to fluctuation)
Revenue (2023)	$400+ billion (approx.)
Employees	Over 400,000 (as of 2023)
Stock Ticker	BRK.A, BRK.B (NYSE)
Notable Acquisitions	GEICO, BNSF Railway, Duracell, Dairy Queen, Precision Castparts, NetJets, Heinz
Key Competitors	Other large conglomerates, including General Electric, 3M, and Johnson & Johnson
Investment Style	Focus on long-term value investing, buying controlling stakes in well-managed companies
CEO Philosophy	Warren Buffett's investment strategy emphasizes value investing, high-quality businesses, and a hands-off management approach.

1839	Founded as a textile company: Berkshire Hathaway begins as a textile manufacturer in New Bedford, Massachusetts, under the name "The Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company."
1955	Merger with Hathaway Manufacturing: The company merges with Hathaway Manufacturing, a textile company in Maine, and the name is changed to Berkshire Hathaway.
1962	Warren Buffett begins buying shares: Warren Buffett starts buying shares of Berkshire Hathaway, a struggling textile company at the time, after being impressed with its undervaluation.
1965	Warren Buffett takes control: Buffett gains control of Berkshire Hathaway and begins transforming the company into a diversified holding company.
1967	Acquisition of National Indemnity: Berkshire Hathaway acquires National Indemnity, marking the beginning of its entry into the insurance industry.
1970s	Expansion into investments: Berkshire Hathaway shifts its focus from textiles to investments, using the company’s insurance premiums to buy stocks and other companies.
1985	Exit from textile business: Buffett decides to exit the textile business, and Berkshire Hathaway officially closes its remaining textile operations.
1990s	Berkshire grows through acquisitions: Buffett expands the company through strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of GEICO (1996), NetJets (1998), and the flight services division of the H.J. Heinz Company.
2000	Berkshire Hathaway reaches $100 billion market cap: The company continues to grow its value with major investments and acquisitions, and Berkshire Hathaway’s stock price surges.
2004	Acquisition of MidAmerican Energy: Berkshire enters the energy sector with the purchase of MidAmerican Energy (now Berkshire Hathaway Energy).
2008	Berkshire buys large stakes in major companies: During the financial crisis, Berkshire Hathaway buys significant shares in Goldman Sachs, General Electric, and other companies, solidifying its position in the market.
2015	Acquisition of Precision Castparts: Berkshire acquires Precision Castparts for $37 billion, making it one of the largest acquisitions in its history.
2020s	Continued growth and diversification: Berkshire Hathaway continues to invest in a wide range of industries, from technology (Apple) to manufacturing and insurance. Warren Buffett remains Chairman and CEO.
2023	Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger lead the company: Despite being in their 90s, Buffett and Munger remain actively involved in leading Berkshire Hathaway, maintaining its reputation for sound long-term investments.