XML 88 R80.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.24.2.u1

Property, plant and equipment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Jun. 30, 2024 | Dec. 31, 2023
--- | --- | ---
Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | $ 49,445 | $ 48,634
Property, plant and equipment, accumulated depreciation | (27,301) | (26,604)
Total property, plant and equipment, net | 22,144 | 22,030
Insurance and Other [Member] | Land, buildings and improvements [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 15,277 | 15,058
Insurance and Other [Member] | Machinery and equipment [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 28,483 | 28,010
Insurance and Other [Member] | Furniture, fixtures and other [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 5,685 | 5,566
Railroad [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 91,049 | 89,663
Property, plant and equipment, accumulated depreciation | (20,401) | (19,464)
Total property, plant and equipment, net | 70,648 | 70,199
Railroad [Member] | Land, track structure and other roadway [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 72,725 | 71,692
Railroad [Member] | Locomotives, freight cars and other equipment [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 16,461 | 16,256
Railroad [Member] | Construction in progress [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 1,863 | 1,715
Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 151,784 | 148,148
Property, plant and equipment, accumulated depreciation | (42,525) | (40,731)
Total property, plant and equipment, net | 109,259 | 107,417
Utilities and Energy [Member] | Land, buildings and improvements [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 4,719 | 4,540
Utilities and Energy [Member] | Machinery, equipment and other [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 4,040 | 3,855
Utilities and Energy [Member] | Utility generation, transmission and distribution systems [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 97,682 | 96,195
Utilities and Energy [Member] | Interstate natural gas pipeline assets [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 19,603 | 19,226
Utilities and Energy [Member] | Independent power plants and other [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 14,891 | 14,781
Utilities and Energy [Member] | Construction in progress [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, plant and equipment, gross | 10,849 | 9,551
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total property, plant and equipment, net | $ 179,907 | $ 177,616

X
- Definition Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(8)(b)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478777/944-210-S99-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(14)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482099/360-10-50-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(8)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478777/944-210-S99-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(13)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482099/360-10-50-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 7A -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-7A + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -SubTopic 10 -Topic 360 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482099/360-10-50-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 7A -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-7A Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Topic 852 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 55 -Paragraph 10 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481372/852-10-55-10 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(8)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478777/944-210-S99-1 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 942 -SubTopic 360 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478451/942-360-50-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=brka_InsuranceAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LandBuildingsAndImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=brka_FurnitureFixturesAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=brka_RailroadMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=brka_LandTrackStructureAndOtherRoadwayMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=brka_LocomotivesFreightCarsAndOtherEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=brka_UtilitiesAndEnergyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=brka_MachineryEquipmentAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=brka_UtilityGenerationTransmissionAndDistributionSystemsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_PipelinesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherEnergyEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=brka_RailroadUtilitiesAndEnergyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |