Total Operating Expenses
Berkshire Hathaway Total Operating Expenses decreased by 2.2% to $79.93B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 2.1%, from $78.27B to $79.93B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Total Operating Expenses shows an upward trend with a 6.9% CAGR. This increase may warrant attention — for this metric, lower values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase faster than revenue growth suggests declining operating margins, while slower growth indicates effective cost control.
Detailed definition
Total operating expenses represent the sum of all costs incurred to operate the business, excluding the cost of goods so...
Peer comparison
Used to calculate operating margin; peers in the healthcare sector monitor this closely to manage profitability against R&D requirements.
total_operating_expensesHistorical Data
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $60.93B | $63.40B | $63.40B | $62.25B | $64.79B | $68.11B | $71.33B | $76.09B | $80.64B | $80.65B | $83.76B | $76.53B | $79.63B | $81.22B | $78.32B | $78.27B | $79.38B | $79.14B | $81.69B | $79.93B |
| QoQ Change | — | +4.0% | +0.0% | -1.8% | +4.1% | +5.1% | +4.7% | +6.7% | +6.0% | +0.0% | +3.9% | -8.6% | +4.0% | +2.0% | -3.6% | -0.1% | +1.4% | -0.3% | +3.2% | -2.2% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +6.3% | +7.4% | +12.5% | +22.2% | +24.5% | +18.4% | +17.4% | +0.6% | -1.3% | +0.7% | -6.5% | +2.3% | -0.3% | -2.6% | +4.3% | +2.1% |
Product Breakdown — Insurance And Other
| Segment | Q4 '23 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance And Other | $109.94B | $69.30B | $70.91B | $68.02B | $68.54B |
| Railroad Utilities And Energy | — | $10.33B | $10.31B | $10.30B | $9.73B |
| Total | $83.76B | $79.63B | $81.22B | $78.32B | $78.27B |
Product Breakdown — Underwriting
| Segment | FY'23 | FY'24 |
|---|---|---|
| Underwriting | $76.49B | $76.85B |
| Investments | $38.00M | $64.00M |
| Total | $321.14B | $315.70B |
All segment values are derived from annual filings.
Business Segments
| Segment | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group | $19.12B | $21.04B | $18.61B | $20.09B | $19.71B | $19.30B | $20.39B | $19.74B |
| Manufacturing Businesses | $16.71B | $16.54B | $16.47B | $16.05B | $16.72B | $16.46B | $16.68B | $17.61B |
| Mc Lane Company | $12.32B | $12.58B | $14.07B | $11.99B | $12.43B | $13.02B | $12.89B | $11.79B |
| Pilot Travel Centers LLC | $12.80B | $10.41B | $10.63B | $10.26B | $9.99B | $10.90B | $10.86B | $11.30B |
| Service And Retailing Businesses | $8.98B | $8.97B | $9.44B | $9.20B | $9.58B | $9.61B | $10.22B | $9.91B |
| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company | $6.17B | $6.23B | $5.81B | $5.63B | $6.03B | $6.39B | $5.90B | $5.92B |
| Total | $79.63B | $81.22B | $78.32B | $78.27B | $79.38B | $79.14B | $81.69B | $79.93B |
Total Operating Expenses at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Berkshire Hathaway's total operating expenses?
- Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) reported total operating expenses of $79.93B in Q1 2026.
- How has Berkshire Hathaway's total operating expenses changed year-over-year?
- Berkshire Hathaway's total operating expenses increased by 2.1% year-over-year, from $78.27B to $79.93B.
- What is the long-term trend for Berkshire Hathaway's total operating expenses?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Berkshire Hathaway's total operating expenses has grown at a 6.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $243.75B to $318.47B.
- What does total operating expenses mean?
- The total cost of running the business, including all non-production expenses.