BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 1996

        Earnings of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and its consolidated 
subsidiaries for the second quarter and first six  months ended 
June 30, 1996 and 1995 are summarized below.  Amounts are stated 
on an after-tax basis (dollar  amounts are in millions except 
per share amounts):
                                       Second Quarter       First Six Months         
                                     1996      1995 *       1996      1995 *    

Earnings from operations          $  193.7   $  140.2    $  353.9   $  284.2   
Realized investment gain (loss)       (2.5)      51.8     1,506.0       47.0   
                                  --------   --------    --------   --------
   Net earnings                   $  191.2   $  192.0    $1,859.9   $  331.2
                                  ========   ========    ========   ========

Average shares outstanding        1,203,748  1,183,392   1,198,630  1,180,587   

Earnings per share:
   Earnings from operations           $161       $118        $295       $241    

   Net earnings                       $159       $162      $1,552       $281  
  
        * Restated
        The net earnings figures for the first six months of 1996 
are meaningless in evaluating the Company or charting  its 
progress: 1996's first six months earnings included $1.5 billion 
of after-tax realized investment gains compared  to after-tax 
realized investment gains of $47.0 million in the comparable 
prior year period.  Most of 1996's realized  gain arose in 
connection with The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of Capital 
Cities/ABC, Inc.  While the  realized gain had a material impact 
on Berkshire's reported earnings, it had a very minor impact on 
Berkshire's  shareholders' equity.  Berkshire records its 
investments at market value and the appreciation in the Capital 
Cities  stock had been previously reflected as a component of 
shareholders' equity in periods prior to 1996's first quarter.
        Earnings from operations in 1996 include the results of 
GEICO Corporation.  On January 2, 1996, Berkshire  completed the 
acquisition of the approximately 49% of GEICO common stock not 
previously owned.  In prior years  Berkshire's investment in 
GEICO common stock had been carried at market value.  As a 
result of obtaining control  of GEICO in 1996, generally 
accepted accounting principles require that prior year results 
be restated to reflect  Berkshire's prior investment in GEICO 
under the equity method.  Accordingly, the 1995 results have 
been restated.
        On May 8, 1996, Berkshire issued 517,500 shares of Class B 
Common Stock having economic rights equal to  one-thirtieth of 
the economic rights of Class A Common Stock.  Average shares 
outstanding for the 1996 periods  include average Class A Common 
shares and average Class B Common shares determined on an 
equivalent Class  A Common Stock basis.  Shareholders' equity at 
June 30, 1996 was $20.0 billion or $16,528 per equivalent Class  
A Common share.
        Berkshire Hathaway and its subsidiaries engage in a number 
of diverse business activities among which the  most important 
is the property and casualty insurance business conducted on 
both a direct and reinsurance basis.  Common stock of the 
Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading 
symbols BRK.A and BRK.B.


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