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Business segment data - Additional tabular disclosures (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2023 | Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2021
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | $ 5,003 |  | $ 4,352 |  | $ 4,172
Income tax expense | 23,019 |  | (8,502) |  | 20,912
Capital expenditures | 19,409 |  | 15,464 |  | 13,276
Goodwill at year-end | 84,626 | [1] | 78,119 | [1] | 73,875
Assets | 1,069,978 |  | 948,465 |  | 959,388
Operating Businesses [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 4,630 |  | 3,946 |  | 3,828
Income tax expense | 6,910 |  | 4,981 |  | 5,141
Capital expenditures | 19,409 |  | 15,464 |  | 13,276
Depreciation of tangible assets | 10,658 |  | 9,666 |  | 9,465
Goodwill at year-end | 84,626 |  | 78,119 |  | 73,875
Identifiable assets at year-end | 921,210 |  | 807,701 |  | 815,743
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Income tax expense | 3,497 |  | 1,247 |  | 1,083
Capital expenditures | 68 |  | 82 |  | 62
Depreciation of tangible assets | 72 |  | 69 |  | 72
Goodwill at year-end | 16,563 |  | 16,548 |  | 15,181
Identifiable assets at year-end | 538,860 |  | 459,917 |  | 483,417
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 1,048 |  | 1,025 |  | 1,032
Income tax expense | 1,527 |  | 1,763 |  | 1,871
Capital expenditures | 3,920 |  | 3,532 |  | 2,910
Depreciation of tangible assets | 2,581 |  | 2,479 |  | 2,406
Goodwill at year-end | 15,350 |  | 14,852 |  | 14,852
Identifiable assets at year-end | 79,227 |  | 77,752 |  | 76,586
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy ("BHE") [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 2,283 |  | 2,140 |  | 2,054
Income tax expense | (2,022) |  | (1,629) |  | (1,153)
Capital expenditures | 9,148 |  | 7,505 |  | 6,611
Depreciation of tangible assets | 3,913 |  | 3,702 |  | 3,584
Goodwill at year-end | 11,804 |  | 11,745 |  | 11,906
Identifiable assets at year-end | 124,383 |  | 118,114 |  | 113,447
Operating Businesses [Member] | PTC [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 414 |  |  |  |
Income tax expense | 169 |  |  |  |
Capital expenditures | 705 |  |  |  |
Depreciation of tangible assets | 510 |  |  |  |
Goodwill at year-end | 6,605 |  |  |  |
Identifiable assets at year-end | 21,404 |  |  |  |
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing Businesses [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 784 |  | 739 |  | 704
Income tax expense | 2,487 |  | 2,403 |  | 2,193
Capital expenditures | 2,714 |  | 2,477 |  | 2,100
Depreciation of tangible assets | 2,099 |  | 2,021 |  | 2,037
Goodwill at year-end | 27,831 |  | 28,460 |  | 25,463
Identifiable assets at year-end | 115,875 |  | 113,578 |  | 107,231
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Income tax expense | 117 |  | 66 |  | 61
Capital expenditures | 264 |  | 93 |  | 106
Depreciation of tangible assets | 208 |  | 176 |  | 189
Goodwill at year-end | 232 |  | 232 |  | 232
Identifiable assets at year-end | 6,861 |  | 7,049 |  | 6,841
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 101 |  | 42 |  | 38
Income tax expense | 1,135 |  | 1,131 |  | 1,086
Capital expenditures | 2,590 |  | 1,775 |  | 1,487
Depreciation of tangible assets | 1,275 |  | 1,219 |  | 1,177
Goodwill at year-end | 6,241 |  | 6,282 |  | 6,241
Identifiable assets at year-end | 34,600 |  | 31,291 |  | 28,221
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 426 |  | 420 |  | 455
Investment and derivative gains/losses, tax | 15,930 |  | (14,166) |  | 16,025
Interest expense, not allocated to segments, tax | (90) |  | (88) |  | (96)
Non-controlled businesses, tax | 223 |  | 334 |  | 82
Goodwill at year-end | 84,626 |  | 78,119 |  | 73,875
Corporate, Eliminations and Other [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | (53) |  | (14) |  | (111)
Income tax expense | 46 |  | 437 |  | (240)
Identifiable assets at year-end | $ 64,142 |  | $ 62,645 |  | $ 69,770
[1] | Net of accumulated goodwill impairments of $11.1 billion as of December 31, 2023 and $11.0 billion as of December 31, 2022.

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