v3.26.1
Business segment data - Earnings data (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Mar. 31, 2025
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues $ 93,675 $ 89,725
Costs and Expenses:    
Interest expense 1,301 1,257
Total costs and expenses 79,927 78,268
Earnings before income taxes 12,319 5,148
BNSF [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 5,965 5,699
BHE [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 6,658 6,344
Manufacturing [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 20,642 18,752
Service and Retailing [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 10,961 10,112
Pilot [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 11,229 10,422
McLane [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 11,759 12,016
Operating Businesses [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 92,809 88,959
Costs and Expenses:    
Interest expense 1,402 1,309
Earnings before income taxes 12,367 11,615
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 25,312 25,375
Costs and Expenses:    
Losses and LAE 14,204 14,646
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,019 1,068
Other segment items 4,520 4,378
Total costs and expenses 19,743 20,092
Earnings before income taxes 5,569 5,283
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 22,005 21,804
Costs and Expenses:    
Losses and LAE 14,204 14,646
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,019 1,068
Other segment items 4,517 4,368
Total costs and expenses 19,740 20,082
Earnings before income taxes 2,265 1,722
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | GEICO [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 11,186 10,752
Costs and Expenses:    
Losses and LAE 8,277 7,424
Other segment items 1,493 1,155
Total costs and expenses 9,770 8,579
Earnings before income taxes 1,416 2,173
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | BH Primary [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 4,591 4,577
Costs and Expenses:    
Losses and LAE 2,792 3,452
Other segment items 1,323 1,269
Total costs and expenses 4,115 4,721
Earnings before income taxes 476 (144)
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | BHRG [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 6,228 6,475
Costs and Expenses:    
Losses and LAE 3,135 3,770
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,019 1,068
Other segment items 1,701 1,944
Total costs and expenses 5,855 6,782
Earnings before income taxes 373 (307)
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Investment Income [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 3,307 3,571
Costs and Expenses:    
Other segment items 3 10
Total costs and expenses 3 10
Earnings before income taxes 3,304 3,561
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 5,994 5,720
Costs and Expenses:    
Compensation and benefits 1,374 1,387
Fuel 768 770
Depreciation and amortization 690 671
Interest expense 277 272
Other segment items 1,065 1,017
Total costs and expenses 4,174 4,117
Earnings before income taxes 1,820 1,603
Operating Businesses [Member] | BHE [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 6,661 6,356
Costs and Expenses:    
Energy cost of sales 1,670 1,531
Energy operations and maintenance 1,298 1,249
Energy depreciation and amortization 1,080 1,009
Real estate operating costs and expenses 879 871
Interest expense 700 646
Other segment items 290 327
Total costs and expenses 5,917 5,633
Earnings before income taxes 744 723
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 20,672 18,766
Costs and Expenses:    
Cost of sales and services 13,787 12,329
Cost of leasing 284 294
Interest expense 344 285
Other segment items 3,198 3,142
Total costs and expenses 17,613 16,050
Earnings before income taxes 3,059 2,716
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 10,989 10,137
Costs and Expenses:    
Cost of sales and services 6,520 6,064
Cost of leasing 1,766 1,589
Interest expense 26 27
Other segment items 1,596 1,516
Total costs and expenses 9,908 9,196
Earnings before income taxes 1,081 941
Operating Businesses [Member] | Pilot [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 11,245 10,430
Costs and Expenses:    
Cost of sales and services 10,264 9,284
Depreciation and amortization 281 257
Interest expense 47 72
Other segment items 750 721
Total costs and expenses 11,295 10,262
Earnings before income taxes (50) 168
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Revenues 11,936 12,175
Costs and Expenses:    
Cost of sales and services 10,882 11,101
Depreciation and amortization 50 49
Interest expense 8 7
Other segment items 860 844
Total costs and expenses 11,792 11,994
Earnings before income taxes $ 144 $ 181