Berkshire buybacks hit $9.6 billion as Q3 profit fell 28%
What's new: The company repurchased about $2 billion more in October, even as operating earnings slipped 6% and cash stayed above $350 billion.
Berkshire Hathaway stepped up share repurchases in the third quarter, buying back $9.6 billion of stock as profit weakened under CEO Greg Abel. The Omaha-based conglomerate reported operating earnings of $12.705 billion, down 5.8% from a year earlier, while overall earnings fell 28% to $22.112 billion as insurance results and investment gains declined. Insurance underwriting dropped 43% to $1.352 billion, and insurance investment income fell 14% to $2.734 billion. Berkshire said railroad, energy and manufacturing earnings rose. The company also bought about $2 billion of stock in October, building on roughly $14.4 billion of buybacks for 2026. Berkshire ended the period with cash and equivalents still above $350 billion.