Latest News

Berkshire takes $3.8 billion Kraft Heinz write-down, operating profit falls

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway announced on Saturday that it had written down its Kraft Heinz stake by $3.76 billion during the second quarter. This is an admission that the investment, which dates back a decade, has not worked out.

Berkshire reported a 4 percent decline in operating profit for the quarter as premiums on insurance underwriting fell. Overall net income dropped by 59% due to the write-downs and lower gains on common stocks. Buffett's company signaled that it is still cautious about the market valuations amid uncertainty over tariffs and economic growth.

For the 11th consecutive quarter, it reported a cash holding of a record $344.1 billion and sold more shares than it purchased. Berkshire had not repurchased its own stock as of mid-July.

Buffett has been the leader of Omaha, Nebraska based Berkshire, since 1965. He plans to retire at the end of this year.

Analyst Kyle Sanders at Edward Jones said that investors are becoming agitated and seeking activity. But nothing is happening. "Buffett will wait and see what happens. He believes the market is overvalued."

The uncertainty about trade policies and tariffs has led to a decline in revenue for most Berkshire consumer businesses.

Jazwares, the company that makes popular Squishmallows toys, saw its revenue drop 38.5% during the first half of the year.

Analysts found the overall results disappointing.

CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert said that "Berkshire, and the economy, are at an inflection-point." "I do not think that the market will accept the combination of Berkshire's recent underperformance, the lack of stock-buybacks and the mediocre results."

Seifert and Sanders give Berkshire a "hold" rating.

KRAFT HEINZ

Operating income for the second quarter fell from $11.6 billion to $11.16 Billion, or $7,760 per class A share. This is a drop of $1 billion. The results included $877 millions of currency losses due to the weakening U.S. Dollar.

Net income including gains and losses from stocks like Apple and American Express fell to $12.37 Billion, down from $30.35 Billion. Revenue dropped 1% to $92.52 Billion.

Buffett believes that unrealized gains and losses on investments, such as stocks Berkshire does not plan to sell, are often irrelevant to his understanding of the company. Berkshire wrote down its Kraft Heinz 27.4% stake for $3.76 billion, or $5 billion, after taxes. This was in response to the announcement by Kraft Heinz that it would be considering strategic alternatives including a breakup.

Berkshire had carried Kraft Heinz on its books at above-market value but said economic and other uncertainties, and its longer-term plans to remain an investor, made the gap "other-than-temporary." Berkshire has written down Kraft Heinz twice, the second time in 2019. The first was a $3 billion writedown. Buffett admitted at the time Berkshire had overpaid for the merger between Kraft Foods in 2015 and H.J. Heinz was one of Buffett's biggest investments mistakes.

Kraft Heinz is suffering as consumers prefer healthier private label alternatives. Its 200 brands include Oscar Mayer and Kool-Aid.

Berkshire has another large investment: its 28,1% stake in Occidental Petroleum, valued at $5.3 billion over fair value. However, the company reported that it did not need to write down this amount.

Lagging the Market

Since Buffett announced his resignation as CEO at the end of the year on May 3, Berkshire shares have dropped more than 12% and are about 22 percentage points behind Standard & Poor’s 500. Buffett, who will remain as chairman, will be succeeded by Vice Chairman Greg Abel (63). Analysts say the premium in Berkshire stock due to the presence of Buffett - arguably the most famous investor in the world - has diminished, and growth in the insurance industry, which is a major Berkshire profit centre, may slow.

Lack of new investment has also been a drag. Analysts think Berkshire's BNSF could purchase CSX in order to create a second transcontinental railroad after Union Pacific bought Norfolk Southern on July 29.

Buffett transformed Berkshire in six decades from an ailing textile company that had closed down into a conglomerate worth $1,02 trillion.

Berkshire is the owner of several insurance companies and reinsurers as well as electric utilities and renewable energy companies. It also owns several chemical and industrial businesses and consumer brands like Dairy Queen Fruit of the Loom, See's Candies and Dairy Queen.

BIG BEAUTIFUL BANK

Berkshire stated that the 12% decline in quarterly insurance underwriting profits was primarily due to reinsurance and smaller insurance businesses. Geico, the company's best-known insurer, saw its pre-tax profit increase 2% as a rise in premiums of 5% offset a rise in accident losses that was smaller.

State Farm and Progressive have gained market share from Geico, which has focused on underwriting technology and quality while cutting jobs. Analysts believe that higher tariffs may be a negative for Geico, if auto parts costs rise. This could increase the number of accident claims.

BNSF also cuts expenses. Fuel costs were lower, which helped to boost the quarterly profit by 19%. Revenue and cargo volumes barely changed.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy's energy division posted a profit increase of 7%. Berkshire Hathaway Energy is evaluating how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by U.S. president Donald Trump last month will impact the "economics" and "viability" of their renewable energy, storage, and technology-neutral project.

(source: Reuters)