Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) Stock Analysis — Fair Value, Risk & Moat Rating
NYQ · Financial Services · Insurance - Diversified
Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. a safe investment right now?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is in the Financial Services sector — Altman Z-Score does not apply to this type of company. Our fair value estimate is $523.00 (Buy Zone).
Why the Altman Z-Score does not apply to Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
The Altman Z-Score is designed for manufacturing and non-financial companies. It uses ratios like Working Capital / Total Assets and Revenue / Total Assets that produce misleading results for Financial Services companies.
- Banks hold massive assets (loans) that inflate Total Assets, making WC/TA nearly zero — a false distress signal
- Utilities carry high regulated debt by design — the model misreads leverage as risk
- REITs use Funds From Operations (FFO), not Free Cash Flow — standard cash flow analysis doesn't apply
Altman Z-Score is designed for manufacturing companies and does not apply to banks, utilities, or REITs.
Note: A sector-specific financial health model for Financial Services companies is planned for a future update.
What is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. actually worth?
How we calculated this
| Input | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst Consensus Target | $523.00 | 3 Wall Street analysts |
| Analyst High / Low | $578.00 / $481.00 | Range of analyst price targets |
| Return on Equity | 9.8% | Profitability relative to shareholder equity |
Source: Earnings data from SEC EDGAR filings. Market data via Yahoo Finance.
Why standard moat analysis does not apply to Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Our standard moat model uses ROIC stability, gross margin trends, and switching costs — metrics designed for product and service companies. Financial Services companies compete on fundamentally different dimensions.
- Banks — moat comes from deposit cost advantage, net interest margin stability, and fee income diversification
- Utilities — moat is a regulatory monopoly with guaranteed rate of return on invested capital
- REITs — moat comes from property portfolio quality, location, tenant mix, and cap rate advantages
Standard moat analysis (ROIC/gross margin/switching costs) does not reliably apply to Financial Services companies. Banks compete on net interest margin, utilities on regulated returns, and REITs on occupancy and cap rates.
Note: A sector-specific competitive analysis for Financial Services companies is planned for a future update.
Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s dividend safe?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s key financial metrics
| Metric | Latest | 1Y Ago | 3Y Ago | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $410.5B | $424.2B | $234.1B | Rising |
| Net Income | $67.0B | $89.0B | −$22.8B | Rising |
| Free Cash Flow | $25.0B | $11.6B | $21.9B | Rising |
Recent events that affect our BRK-B analysis
BRK-B earnings report scheduled
Upcoming report. Consensus EPS estimate: $5.12. Our current Fair Value: $523.00 — a significant beat or miss could shift this estimate.
BRK-B analyst consensus: 75% bullish (3 of 4 analysts)
1 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, 1 Hold, 0 Sell, 0 Strong Sell. Consensus target: $523.00 (12.4% upside). Compare with our independent Fair Value: $523.00.
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed annual report (10-K)
Annual filing with full-year financials. Our Altman Z-Score, Moat, and Fair Value models are derived from this data. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B missed EPS estimates by 8.5%
Reported EPS: $4.73 vs estimate $5.17. Our Fair Value of $523.00 may face downward pressure if the trend continues.
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly update with interim financials. May signal changes to earnings trajectory and balance sheet health. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B beat EPS estimates by 9.0%
Reported EPS: $6.25 vs estimate $5.73. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $523.00 (12.4% above current price).
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly update with interim financials. May signal changes to earnings trajectory and balance sheet health. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B beat EPS estimates by 2.7%
Reported EPS: $5.17 vs estimate $5.04. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $523.00 (12.4% above current price).
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly update with interim financials. May signal changes to earnings trajectory and balance sheet health. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B missed EPS estimates by 5.4%
Reported EPS: $4.47 vs estimate $4.72. Our Fair Value of $523.00 may face downward pressure if the trend continues.
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B filed annual report (10-K)
Annual filing with full-year financials. Our Altman Z-Score, Moat, and Fair Value models are derived from this data. View on SEC EDGAR →
BRK-B beat EPS estimates by 60.7%
Reported EPS: $6.73 vs estimate $4.19. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $523.00 (12.4% above current price).
Common questions about Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
What is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stock price today?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) stock price is $465.40 as of the latest market close, traded on the NYSE exchange.
What does Berkshire Hathaway Inc. do?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the insurance, freight rail transportation, and utility businesses. It provides property, casualty, life, accident, and health insurance and reinsurance; operates railroad systems in North America; generates, transmits, stores, and distributes electricity from natural gas, coal, wind, solar, hydroelectric, nuclear, and geothermal sources; operates natural gas distribution and storage facilities, interstate pipelines, liquefied natural gas facilities, and compressor and meter stations; and holds interest in coal mining assets. It manufactures boxed chocolates and other confectionery products; specialty chemicals, metal cutting tools, and components for aerospace and power generation applications; prefabricated and site-built residential homes, flooring products; insulation, roofing, and engineered products; building and engineered components; paints and coatings; and bricks and masonry products, as well as offers manufactured and site-built home construction, and related lending and financial services.
What is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. market cap?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has a market capitalization of $1.00T, classifying it as a mega-cap stock in the Financial Services sector.
What sector and industry is BRK-B in?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. operates in the Financial Services sector, specifically within the Insurance - Diversified industry. It trades on the NYSE under the ticker symbol BRK-B.
Is BRK-B stock overvalued or undervalued?
Based on our valuation model, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. trades 11.0% below our fair value estimate — potentially undervalued.
- FairValueLabs Fair Value: $523.00
- Current Price: $465.40
- Valuation Zone: Buy Zone
What is BRK-B stock forecast and analyst target price?
Based on 3 Wall Street analysts, the consensus price target for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is $523.00, implying upside of 12.4% from the current price.
- Analyst High Target: $578.00
- Analyst Low Target: $481.00
Note: Analyst targets are shown for reference and are not used in our valuation model.
Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. revenue and earnings growing?
Here are the analyst consensus growth estimates for Berkshire Hathaway Inc.:
- Revenue growth (current year est.): 1.1%
- EPS growth (current year est.): 0.0%
- Revenue growth (next year est.): 7.8%
- EPS growth (next year est.): 5.5%
What are Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s key financial metrics?
| Metric | Latest | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $410.5B | Rising |
| Net Income | $67.0B | Rising |
| Free Cash Flow | $25.0B | Rising |
What is BRK-B's P/E ratio?
The price-to-earnings ratio measures how much investors pay per dollar of earnings:
- Trailing P/E (last 12 months): 15.0x
- Forward P/E (next 12 months est.): 21.4x
How volatile is BRK-B stock?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has a beta of 0.70, meaning it is less volatile than the broader market. A beta above 1.0 indicates higher price swings relative to the S&P 500, while below 1.0 suggests more stability.
How much cash and debt does Berkshire Hathaway Inc. have?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s balance sheet shows:
- Total Cash: $373.31B
- Total Debt: $135.37B
- Net Cash Position: $237.94B
A positive net cash position means the company holds more cash than debt, reducing financial risk.
What is Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s free cash flow?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. generated $36.80B in trailing twelve-month free cash flow (from $45.97B in operating cash flow). Free cash flow represents the cash available for dividends, buybacks, and debt reduction after all capital expenditures.
Does Berkshire Hathaway Inc. pay a dividend?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. does not currently pay a regular dividend to shareholders. The company may be reinvesting all profits back into growth, or it may have suspended its dividend.
Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. financially healthy?
The Altman Z-Score — the standard bankruptcy prediction model — is not applicable to Financial Services companies like Berkshire Hathaway Inc.. The formula uses ratios designed for manufacturing firms that produce misleading results for banks, utilities, and REITs.
Does Berkshire Hathaway Inc. have a competitive moat?
Our standard moat model (based on ROIC, gross margins, and switching costs) does not apply to Financial Services companies. These firms compete on fundamentally different dimensions such as regulatory advantages, deposit cost structures, or property portfolios.
What is BRK-B's return on equity (ROE)?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s return on equity is 9.8%. ROE measures how efficiently a company generates profits from shareholder equity. An ROE above 15% is generally considered strong, while below 10% may signal inefficiency.
How do I buy BRK-B stock?
BRK-B shares can be purchased through any brokerage account that provides access to the NYSE. Common steps:
- Open an account with a broker (e.g., Fidelity, Schwab, Interactive Brokers)
- Search for ticker symbol BRK-B
- Place a market or limit order for your desired number of shares
This is not investment advice. Always do your own research before buying any stock.
Is BRK-B a value stock or speculative?
FairValueLabs classifies Berkshire Hathaway Inc. as Value Investment. It exhibits consistent profitability, reasonable valuation, and financial stability — characteristics of a traditional value investment.
Who is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
The current CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is Mr. Gregory Edward Abel.
What is BRK-B's earnings per share (EPS)?
Earnings per share measures the company's profit allocated to each outstanding share:
- Trailing EPS (last 12 months): $31.04
- Forward EPS (next 12 months est.): $21.75
- Analyst consensus EPS (this year): $20.63
- Analyst consensus EPS (next year): $21.75
Other Financial Services companies analyzed by FairValueLabs
FairValueLabs Disclaimer
All valuations, scores, ratings, and classifications on this page are produced by the FairValueLabs internal valuation system. They do not represent actual market value, guaranteed outcomes, or professional investment advice. These are analytical estimates for educational and research purposes only.
This is not financial advice. All data is sourced from SEC EDGAR public filings. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Last updated: Apr 22, 2026. Data sources: SEC EDGAR (financial statements), Yahoo Finance (market data, analyst consensus). Data may not reflect the most recent quarter.
BRK-B analysis methodology: How we calculate fair value, Z-Scores, and moat ratings