Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway recovers from coronavirus slowdown

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) on Saturday said many of its businesses are enjoying strong recoveries from the early depths of the coronavirus pandemic, fueling rebounds in profits and revenue.

The company Buffett has run since 1965 also signaled the billionaire’s confidence in its future by repurchasing $6 billion of its own shares in the second quarter, even as its stock price regularly set new highs.

Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire’s manufacturing, service and retailing businesses suffered last year as economic activity plunged, job losses soared and shoppers stayed home.

But now, Berkshire said its BNSF railroad, namesake auto dealership and housing units are among many businesses seeing “significant” recoveries despite supply chain disruptions and higher costs, with earnings and revenue in some instances topping pre-pandemic levels.

Second-quarter operating profit rose 21 per cent to $6.69 billion, or about $4,424 per Class A share, from $5.51 billion, or about $3,463 per share, a year earlier.

Net income rose 7 per cent to $28.1 billion, or $18,488 per Class A share, bolstered by unrealized gains in Berkshire’s $192 billion of investments in Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) and American Express Corp (AXP.N).

Revenue jumped 22 per cent to $69.1 billion. Berkshire also owns such businesses as the Geico auto insurer and See’s Candies.

Many U.S. companies have improved results as the economy rebounds.

Goldman Sachs this month raised its 2021 earnings forecast for Standard & Poor’s 500 (.SPX) companies, implying 45 per cent annual growth.

The second quarter was also notable for Buffett’s revealing that if he were to step down, Berkshire’s next chief executive would be Greg Abel, a vice chairman overseeing Berkshire’s non-insurance businesses. Buffett turns 91 on Aug. 30.

“It’s a killer,” Buffett said at Berkshire’s annual meeting on May 1, referring to SPACs. read more

The net selling is one reason Berkshire ended June with $144.1 billion of cash and equivalents, despite the buybacks.

Berkshire’s share price is up 23.7 per cent in 2021, topping the S&P 500’s 18.1 per cent gain, after trailing the index significantly in 2019 and 2020.

“It’s very clear they’re having difficulty deploying capital in public markets,” Shanahan said. “Given the valuation of the stock, we should expect Berkshire’s buybacks to be the preferred source of capital deployment.”

First-half vehicle sales grew 30 per cent at the Berkshire Hathaway Automotive dealerships.

Homebuying also rebounded, boosting quarterly reported profit 43 per cent at Clayton Homes mobile homes and 129 per cent at Berkshire’s namesake real estate brokerage.

The brokerage is part of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, where wind power tax credits helped increase profit 17 per cent.

Geico’s pretax underwriting profit fell 70 per cent as people drove, and crashed, more often. Rivals including Allstate Corp (ALL.N) and Progressive Corp (PGR.N) have also reported more accidents.

Berkshire also said revenue fell 9 per cent at Precision Castparts, the aircraft and industrial parts maker it wrote down by $9.8 billion in 2020 as airlines slashed plane orders. It said a big rebound is not likely soon because customers have enough parts.