v3.26.1
Business segment data - Earnings data (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Jun. 30, 2025
Jun. 30, 2026
Jun. 30, 2025
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues $ 101,808 $ 92,515 $ 195,483 $ 182,240
Costs and Expenses:        
Interest expense 1,335 1,253 2,636 2,510
Total costs and expenses 86,070 79,384 165,997 157,652
Earnings before income taxes 32,063 14,750 44,382 19,898
BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,577 5,746 12,542 11,445
BHE [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,730 6,405 13,388 12,749
Manufacturing [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 22,520 19,940 43,162 38,692
Service and Retailing [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 11,858 10,671 22,819 20,783
Pilot [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 14,925 10,095 26,154 20,517
McLane [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 11,888 12,399 23,647 24,415
Operating Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 101,014 91,802 193,823 180,761
Costs and Expenses:        
Interest expense 1,437 1,316 2,839 2,625
Earnings before income taxes 14,376 13,378 26,743 24,993
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 26,176 26,248 51,488 51,623
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 14,274 14,073 28,478 28,719
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,233 1,132 2,252 2,200
Other segment items 4,804 4,506 9,324 8,884
Total costs and expenses 20,311 19,711 40,054 39,803
Earnings before income taxes 5,865 6,537 11,434 11,820
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 22,475 22,195 44,480 43,999
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 14,274 14,073 28,478 28,719
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,233 1,132 2,252 2,200
Other segment items 4,788 4,456 9,305 8,824
Total costs and expenses 20,295 19,661 40,035 39,743
Earnings before income taxes 2,180 2,534 4,445 4,256
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | GEICO [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 11,291 11,064 22,477 21,816
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 8,644 7,945 16,921 15,369
Other segment items 1,653 1,298 3,146 2,453
Total costs and expenses 10,297 9,243 20,067 17,822
Earnings before income taxes 994 1,821 2,410 3,994
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | BH Primary [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 4,673 4,677 9,264 9,254
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 3,011 3,193 5,803 6,645
Other segment items 1,389 1,421 2,712 2,690
Total costs and expenses 4,400 4,614 8,515 9,335
Earnings before income taxes 273 63 749 (81)
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | BHRG [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,511 6,454 12,739 12,929
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 2,619 2,935 5,754 6,705
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,233 1,132 2,252 2,200
Other segment items 1,746 1,737 3,447 3,681
Total costs and expenses 5,598 5,804 11,453 12,586
Earnings before income taxes 913 650 1,286 343
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Investment Income [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 3,701 4,053 7,008 7,624
Costs and Expenses:        
Other segment items 16 50 19 60
Total costs and expenses 16 50 19 60
Earnings before income taxes 3,685 4,003 6,989 7,564
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,601 5,769 12,595 11,489
Costs and Expenses:        
Compensation and benefits 1,398 1,372 2,772 2,759
Fuel 1,173 698 1,941 1,468
Depreciation and amortization 698 679 1,388 1,350
Interest expense 276 270 553 542
Other segment items 995 941 2,060 1,958
Total costs and expenses 4,540 3,960 8,714 8,077
Earnings before income taxes 2,061 1,809 3,881 3,412
Operating Businesses [Member] | BHE [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,735 6,418 13,396 12,774
Costs and Expenses:        
Energy cost of sales 1,376 1,434 3,046 2,965
Energy operations and maintenance 1,412 1,392 2,710 2,641
Energy depreciation and amortization 1,039 1,054 2,119 2,063
Real estate operating costs and expenses 1,250 1,210 2,129 2,081
Interest expense 745 664 1,445 1,310
Other segment items 309 279 599 606
Total costs and expenses 6,131 6,033 12,048 11,666
Earnings before income taxes 604 385 1,348 1,108
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 22,568 19,969 43,240 38,735
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 14,540 12,980 28,327 25,309
Cost of leasing 292 305 576 599
Interest expense 331 298 675 583
Other segment items 3,288 3,139 6,486 6,281
Total costs and expenses 18,451 16,722 36,064 32,772
Earnings before income taxes 4,117 3,247 7,176 5,963
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 11,884 10,688 22,873 20,825
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 7,083 6,394 13,603 12,458
Cost of leasing 1,880 1,587 3,646 3,176
Interest expense 27 29 53 56
Other segment items 1,628 1,573 3,224 3,089
Total costs and expenses 10,618 9,583 20,526 18,779
Earnings before income taxes 1,266 1,105 2,347 2,046
Operating Businesses [Member] | Pilot [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 14,932 10,109 26,177 20,539
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 13,585 9,010 23,849 18,294
Depreciation and amortization 279 260 560 517
Interest expense 50 49 97 121
Other segment items 778 720 1,528 1,441
Total costs and expenses 14,642 9,990 25,937 20,252
Earnings before income taxes 290 119 240 287
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane [Member]        
Segment Reporting [Line Items]        
Revenues 12,118 12,601 24,054 24,776
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 11,039 11,505 21,921 22,606
Depreciation and amortization 48 47 98 96
Interest expense 8 6 16 13
Other segment items 858 873 1,718 1,717
Total costs and expenses 11,945 12,425 23,737 24,419
Earnings before income taxes $ 173 $ 176 $ 317 $ 357