Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

How to buy Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) shares in Australia

Learn how to easily invest in Berkshire Hathaway shares.

These days a single stock in Warren Buffet's iconic company costs upwards of US$500,000. In the past, that hefty price tag meant Berkshire Hathaway shares were out of reach to most investors.

That's where Berkshire Hathaway Class B (BRK.B) shares come in. BRK.B shares were launched so that investors could purchase Berkshire shares at a much lower price point. In Australia, you have the option of purchasing both A or B Class shares, depending on the platform you use.

About Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway is involved in utilities, insurance and freight businesses worldwide. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, the company is known for its CEO Warren Buffett, a renowned American investor. Berkshire Hathaway trades on the New York Stock Exchange, where it offers class A (BRK.A) and class B (BRK.B) shares.

Should you buy Berkshire Hathaway Class A or Class B shares?

There are two types of Berkshire Hathaway shares available to investors – Class A (BRK.A) and Class B (BRK.B) shares. Regular investors wanting to buy shares in Berkshire Hathaway typically purchase Class B shares thanks to the lower price. B-shares are generally over 1/100th of the price of A-shares.

However, there are other differences that may make Class A shares the more attractive option:

  • Class A shares have historically outperformed Class B.
  • Class A shares can be converted into Class B shares, but the same is not true in reverse.
  • Class B shares can split. However, Buffet has assured shareholders that Class A will never experience this.
  • The status element of owning Class A will be attractive for some investors.
  • Many platforms now offer fractional share trading, meaning you can more easily invest in fractions of Class A shares.

Australian investors can purchase either Class A or Class B shares depending on their preference and the trading platform they use.

While Class A shares may have been out of reach in the past, a number of trading platforms these days offer fractional share trading where fractions of stocks can be purchased. So instead of buying 1 BRK.A stock for US$500,000, you could instead buy a fraction of the stock for say $50.

Either way, Australian investors will need to find a trading platform that offers US stocks if they want to purchase Berkshire Hathaway stocks.

How to buy shares in Berkshire Hathaway

  1. Compare share trading platforms. To buy shares in a company listed in the US from Australia you'll need to find a trading platform that offers access to US stock markets. Look for a platform with low brokerage and foreign exchange fees.
  2. Open and fund your brokerage account. Complete an application with your personal and financial details, which will typically include your ID and tax file number. Fund your account with a bank transfer, credit card or debit card.
  3. Search for Berkshire Hathaway. Find the share by name or ticker symbol: BRK-B. Research its history to confirm it's a solid investment that matches your financial goals.
  4. Purchase now or later. Buy today with a market order or use a limit order to delay your purchase until Berkshire Hathaway reaches your desired price. To spread out your risk, look into dollar-cost averaging, which smooths out buying using consistent intervals and amounts.
  5. Decide on how many to buy. At last close price of US$352.7, weigh your budget against a diversified portfolio that can minimise risk through the market's ups and downs. You may be able to buy a fractional share of Berkshire Hathaway, depending on your broker.
  6. Check in on your investment. Congratulations, you own a part of Berkshire Hathaway. Optimise your portfolio by tracking how your stock — and even the business — performs with an eye on the long term. You may be eligible for dividends and shareholder voting rights.

Berkshire Hathaway stock price (NYSE:BRK-B)

Use our graph to track the performance of BRK.B stocks over time.

Have Berkshire Hathaway's shares ever split?

Berkshire Hathaway's shares were split on a 50:1 basis on 21 January 2010. So if you had owned 1 share the day before the split, the next day you would own 50 shares. This wouldn't directly have changed the overall worth of your Berkshire Hathaway shares – just the quantity. However, indirectly, the new 98% lower share price could have impacted the market appetite for Berkshire Hathaway shares which in turn could have impacted Berkshire Hathaway's share price.

Berkshire Hathaway shares at a glance

Information last updated 2023-12-04.
52-week rangeUS$292.42 - US$373.34
50-day moving average US$349.5612
200-day moving average US$336.7804
Target priceUS$410
PE ratio 10.1373
Dividend yield US$0 (3.31%)
Earnings per share (TTM) US$35.1

Berkshire Hathaway share growth calculator

US$

Use the fields above to explore the returns from a historical investment. Please refer to the charts further up this page to see performance over 5 years, or other periods. Past performance doesn't indicate future results. Capital is at risk.

Berkshire Hathaway price performance over time

Historical closes compared with the last close of $353.08

1 week (2023-12-04) -1.00%
1 month (2023-11-10) 0.72%
3 months (2023-09-11) -3.40%
6 months (2023-06-09) 5.31%
1 year (2022-12-09) 15.24%
2 years (2021-12-10) 22.50%
3 years (2020-12-11) 55.96%
5 years (2018-12-11) 74.55%

Compare trading platforms to buy Berkshire Hathaway shares

1 - 6 of 6
Name Product Standard brokerage for US shares Currency conversion fee Asset class
eToro
Finder AwardExclusive
eToro
US$0
50-150 pips
ASX shares, Global shares, US shares, ETFs
CFD service. Capital at risk.
Finder exclusive: Get 12 months of investment tracking app Delta PRO for free when you fund your eToro account (T&Cs apply).
Join the world’s biggest social trading network when you trade stocks, commodities and currencies from the one account.
IG Share Trading
Finder Award
IG Share Trading
US$0
0.70%
ASX shares, Global shares, US shares, UK shares, ETFs
$0 brokerage for US and global shares plus get an active trader discount of $5 commission on Australian shares.
Enjoy some of the lowest brokerage fees on the market when trading Australian and international shares, plus get access to 24-hour customer support.
Moomoo Share Trading
US$0.99
55 pips or 0.0055 AUD/USD
ASX shares, Global shares, US shares, ETFs
Finder exclusive: Get an additional 30 days on top of the regular brokerage-free period for new accounts. T&Cs apply.
Trade shares on the ASX, the US markets and buy ETFs with Moomoo. Plus join a community over 20 million investors.
CMC Invest
Finder Award
CMC Invest
US$0
0.60%
ASX shares, Global shares, Options trading, US shares, mFunds, ETFs
$0 brokerage on global shares including US, UK and Japan markets.
Trade up to 35,000 products, including shares, crypto, ETFs and managed funds, with access to 15 major global and Australian stock exchanges. Plus, buy Aussie shares for $0 brokerage up to $1,000. (Limited to one buy order per stock per trading day).
Webull
US$0.25
0.50% (50 pips)
ASX shares, Options trading, US shares, ETFs
Earn US$100 in cash vouchers when you fund your new account and maintain a minimum balance of US$2,000 by Dec 29 until March 31, 2024. Plus, earn up to 5.3% p.a. yield on your US cash account (T&Cs apply).
Trade ASX and US stocks and US options, plus gain access to inbuilt news platforms and educational resources. You can also start trading for less with fractional shares.
Tiger Brokers
Exclusive
Tiger Brokers
US$2
37 pips
ASX shares, Global shares, US shares, ETFs
Finder exclusive: Get 10 brokerage-free trades for the US or ASX market for the first 180 days and US$50 fractional shares when you deposit at least US$500. Plus, all new customers get 1 free trade per month for the first 12 months (T&Cs apply).
Get one brokerage-free trade per month for the first 12 months for US or ASX markets. T&Cs apply.
loading
The value of your investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no indication of future results.

Is it a good time to buy Berkshire Hathaway stock?

The technical analysis gauge below displays real-time ratings for the timeframes you select. However, this is not a recommendation. It represents a technical analysis based on the most popular technical indicators: Moving Averages, Oscillators and Pivots. Finder might not concur and takes no responsibility.

Is Berkshire Hathaway under- or over-valued?

Valuing Berkshire Hathaway stock is incredibly difficult, and any metric has to be viewed as part of a bigger picture of Berkshire Hathaway's overall performance. However, analysts commonly use some key metrics to help gauge the value of a stock.

Berkshire Hathaway's P/E ratio

Berkshire Hathaway's current share price divided by its per-share earnings (EPS) over a 12-month period gives a "trailing price/earnings ratio" of roughly 10x. In other words, Berkshire Hathaway shares trade at around 10x recent earnings.

That's relatively low compared to, say, the trailing 12-month P/E ratio for the NASDAQ 100 at the end of 2019 (27.29). The low P/E ratio could mean that investors are pessimistic about the outlook for the shares or simply that they're under-valued.

Berkshire Hathaway's PEG ratio

Berkshire Hathaway's "price/earnings-to-growth ratio" can be calculated by dividing its P/E ratio by its growth – to give 10.0559. A low ratio can be interpreted as meaning the shares offer better value, while a higher ratio can be interpreted as meaning the shares offer worse value.

The PEG ratio provides a broader view than just the P/E ratio, as it gives more insight into Berkshire Hathaway's future profitability. By accounting for growth, it could also help you if you're comparing the share prices of multiple high-growth companies.

Berkshire Hathaway's EBITDA

Berkshire Hathaway's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) is US$109.9 billion (£87.3 billion).

The EBITDA is a measure of a Berkshire Hathaway's overall financial performance and is widely used to measure stock profitability.

Berkshire Hathaway share price volatility

Over the last 12 months, Berkshire Hathaway's shares have ranged in value from as little as US$292.42 up to US$373.34. A popular way to gauge a stock's volatility is its "beta".

BRK-B.US volatility(beta: 0.86)Avg. volatility(beta: 1.00)LowHigh

Beta measures a share's volatility in relation to the market. The market (NYSE average) beta is 1, while Berkshire Hathaway's is 0.86. This would suggest that Berkshire Hathaway's shares are less volatile than average (for this exchange).

Berkshire Hathaway financials

Revenue TTM US$349.2 billion
Gross profit TTM US$-28,087,000,000
Return on assets TTM 6.36%
Return on equity TTM 15.54%
Profit margin 21.95%
Book value 363303.28
Market capitalisation US$774.6 billion

TTM: trailing 12 months

Berkshire Hathaway share dividends

We're not expecting Berkshire Hathaway to pay a dividend over the next 12 months.

Berkshire Hathaway's environmental, social and governance track record

Environmental, social and governance (known as ESG) criteria are a set of three factors used to measure the sustainability and social impact of companies like Berkshire Hathaway.

When it comes to ESG scores, lower is better, and lower scores are generally associated with lower risk for would-be investors.

Berkshire Hathaway's total ESG risk score

Total ESG risk: 19.08

Socially conscious investors use ESG scores to screen how an investment aligns with their worldview, and Berkshire Hathaway's overall score of 19.08 (as at 01/01/2019) is excellent – landing it in it in the 16th percentile of companies rated in the same sector.

ESG scores are increasingly used to estimate the level of risk a company like Berkshire Hathaway is exposed to within the areas of "environmental" (carbon footprint, resource use etc.), "social" (health and safety, human rights etc.), and "governance" (anti-corruption, tax transparency etc.).

Berkshire Hathaway's environmental score

Environmental score: 3.6/100

Berkshire Hathaway's environmental score of 3.6 puts it squarely in the 6th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Berkshire Hathaway is a leader in its sector terms of its environmental impact, and exposed to a lower level of risk.

Berkshire Hathaway's social score

Social score: 7.75/100

Berkshire Hathaway's social score of 7.75 puts it squarely in the 6th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Berkshire Hathaway is a leader in its sector when it comes to taking good care of its workforce and the communities it impacts.

Berkshire Hathaway's governance score

Governance score: 17.22/100

Berkshire Hathaway's governance score puts it squarely in the 6th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. That could suggest that Berkshire Hathaway is a leader in its sector when it comes to responsible management and strategy, and exposed to a lower level of risk.

Berkshire Hathaway's controversy score

Controversy score: 1/5

ESG scores also evaluate any incidences of controversy that a company has been involved in. Berkshire Hathaway scored a 1 out of 5 for controversy – the highest score possible, reflecting that Berkshire Hathaway has managed to keep its nose clean.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) summary

Berkshire Hathaway Inc was last rated for ESG on: 2019-01-01.

Total ESG score 19.08
Total ESG percentile 15.78
Environmental score 3.6
Environmental score percentile 6
Social score 7.75
Social score percentile 6
Governance score 17.22
Governance score percentile 6
Level of controversy 1

Berkshire Hathaway overview

Berkshire Hathaway Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the insurance, freight rail transportation, and utility businesses worldwide. It provides property, casualty, life, accident, and health insurance and reinsurance; and operates railroad systems in North America. The company also 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. In addition, the company manufactures boxed chocolates and other confectionery products; specialty chemicals, metal cutting tools, and components for aerospace and power generation applications; 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. Further, it provides recreational vehicles, apparel and footwear products, jewelry, and custom picture framing products, as well as alkaline batteries; castings, forgings, fasteners/fastener systems, aerostructures, and precision components; and cobalt, nickel, and titanium alloys. Additionally, the company distributes televisions and information; franchises and services quick service restaurants; distributes electronic components; and offers logistics services, grocery and foodservice distribution services, and professional aviation training and shared aircraft ownership programs. It also retails automobiles; furniture, bedding, and accessories; household appliances, electronics, and computers; jewelry, watches, crystal, china, stemware, flatware, gifts, and collectibles; kitchenware; and motorcycle clothing and equipment. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Past developments

June 23: Warren Buffett donated US$4.64 billion of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) stock to five charities, taking his total in donations since 2006 to over US$51 billion.
30 December 2022: Berkshire Hathaway is a popular stock viewed by many investors and potential investors. Shares of this company have returned -2.2% over the past month. For the current quarter, Berkshire Hathaway is expected to post earnings of $3.31 per share, indicating a change of +1.2% from the year-ago quarter. This gives a measure of near-term performance for the business.
09 January 2023: Berkshire Hathaway, the investment company owned by Warren Buffett, has sold 1.058 million Hong Kong-listed shares of electric vehicle maker BYD at an average price of HK$191.44 ($24.52), (£21.57) per share, a stock exchange filing showed. Berkshire Hathaway has decreased its position size from 14.06% to 13.97%.

Frequently asked questions

More guides on Finder

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and 6. Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Go to site