Berkshire Hathaway is a conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Warren Buffett is the company's chairman and chief executive officer.
Last year Buffett made news when he announced Berkshire would make its biggest-ever acquisition, Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion. When the deal closed in February, Berkshire replaced the railroad on the S&P 500.
Berkshire now owns a diverse range of businesses, including railroads, candy production, retail, home furnishings, encyclopedias, vacuum cleaners, jewellery sales; newspaper publishing; manufacture and distribution of uniforms; manufacture, import and distribution of footwear; as well as several regional electric and gas utilities.
Image: Warren Buffett fills a glass with Coke during a news conference in Madrid.
Photographs: Andrea Comas/Reuters