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Berkshire Hathaway earnings below estimates, cash pile bulgesThe conglomerate's net earnings between Jan and March 2025 fell 63% to $4.67 billion, compared to $12.83 billion a year earlier.By CNBCTV18.com May 3, 2025, 8:46:12 PM IST (Updated)2 Min ReadBerkshire Hathaway's first-quarter revenue was largely flat (down 0.2% from a year ago) at $89.73 billion. Net profit came in at $4.6 billion, earnings per share stood at $2.13 compared to the consensus estimate of $4.72, according to a Tipranks, a artificial intelligence-based data research firm.

Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term securities increased to $347.68 billion by March-end, adding over $13 billion in the last three months, making it the tenth straight quarter that the company has sold more stocks that it bought.

Operating earnings fell 14% from a year earlier, to $9.6 billion, the conglomerate said in a statement Saturday ahead of its annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska.

Warren Buffet's company also warned against the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs and trade war on future earnings. "We are currently unable to reliably predict the nature, timing or magnitude of the potential economic consequences of any such changes or the impacts on our Consolidated Financial Statements," the company said in the document.

The fair value of the investment firm's five largest holdings — American Express Company, Apple Inc., Bank of America Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company and Chevron Corporation— accounted for 69% of the portfolio.

The insurance unit’s investment income rose 11% to $2.9 billion despite a $860 million loss (after tax) due to the California wildfire. “There’s no question the private equity firms have come into the space, and we are no longer competitive in this space,” Ajit Jain,  Vice Chairman of Insurance Operations, said.

Geico, Berkshire’s auto insurer, posted a13%  increase in pre-tax earnings despite increasing expenses to gain market share. The unit has reduced the number of employees from 50,000 to 20,000, confirmed Jain, without specifying period during which the reduction happened.Continue Reading(Edited by : Sriram Iyer)First Published: May 3, 2025 5:48 PM ISTCheck out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!Tags