The Berkshire Archive

1997

Index Book About

Berkshire Hathaway · Year by year

1997

Annual percentage change
Measure 1997
Per-share book value of Berkshire 34.1
Market value of Berkshire 34.9
S&P 500 with dividends included 33.4
Where 1997’s change in book value came from
Where the change came from — points of per-share book value

Assets

  • Cash3.1
  • Fixed income32.3
  • Common stocks113.6
  • Financial products0.6
  • Other net assets13.7

Funded by

  • Net worth100.0
  • Debt7.1
  • Insurance float23.2
  • Deferred tax float33.0
What the company was made of — percent of net worth. Every dollar of net worth carried $1.63 of assets.

Note: figures in parentheses are losses. Source: Berkshire Hathaway annual reports.

The 1997 letter The 1997 meeting

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