BRK.B Berkshire Hathaway Inc

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

The following description of The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan (the Plan) provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan document for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.

The Plan is a defined contribution profit-sharing plan covering all employees, as defined in the Plan document, as of the start date of the employee. The employees covered under the Plan include those employed by Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc., Floors, Inc., Nebraska Furniture Mart of Kansas, Inc., and TXFM, Inc. (collectively the Company or Employer). The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Effective July 10, 2017, employees are auto-enrolled, upon hire, at a 4% pre-tax deferral. Prior to July 10, 2017 date employees were auto-enrolled at a 3% pre-tax deferral. Each year, participants may contribute up to 50% of their eligible compensation, as defined by the Plan document. Contributions are subject to certain dollar limitations, as imposed by the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Participants also may rollover amounts representing distributions from other qualified plans. Participants who have attained age 50 before the end of the Plan year are eligible to make catch-up contributions. Participants direct the investment of employee and Employer contributions into various investment options offered by the Plan.

Once an employee has completed one year of service with 1,000 or more hours of work during the year, they are eligible for discretionary matching contributions (Matching Contributions) starting the first of the following month. In addition, the Company may make additional profit sharing contributions (Profit Sharing Contributions), subject to limitations established by the IRC. No additional Profit Sharing Contributions were made for the years ended December 31, 2018 or 2017.

Each participant’s account is credited with the participant’s contribution and allocations of (a) the Company’s contributions and (b) Plan earnings, and charged with an allocation of administrative expenses. Allocations are based on participant earnings or account balances, as defined. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s vested account.

In the event of disability, death, or normal retirement age, the participant will become fully vested.

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The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

Participants may borrow from their accounts a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum of 50% of their vested account balance relating to participant’s contributions and rollovers under the Plan, or a maximum of $50,000. The notes are secured by the participant’s account balance in the participant’s account and bear interest rates, which are equal to the Prime Rate plus 1%. Principal and interest are paid ratably through biweekly payroll deductions over a period not to exceed five years. Effective September 1, 2016, the Plan only allows general purpose loans that do not exceed a five-year term. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, interest rates ranged from 4.25% to 9.25%. As of December 31, 2018, and 2017, notes receivable from participants mature between January 2019 and August 2026, and January 2018 and August 2026, respectively.

If the participant’s vested account balance exceeds $1,000 and he or she is terminated due to death, disability or retirement, a participant may elect to receive either a lump sum amount equal to the value of the participant’s vested interest in his or her account or monthly or other periodical installments by Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company (the “Trustee”) in approximate equal amounts over the life expectancy of the participant or of the participant and his or her designated beneficiary. For termination of service due to other reasons, a participant may receive the value of the vested interest in his or her account as a lump-sum distribution. If the participant’s account balance is less than $1,000, the Plan can automatically cash out the account at the participant’s termination in the form of a lump-sum distribution.

Certain in-service withdrawals are allowed. A participant may also elect to withdrawal all or a portion of their vested account balance while employed after reaching age 59 ¹ ⁄ ₂ . A participant may receive a hardship distribution from pre-tax and Roth deferrals if the distribution is: (1) on account of unreimbursed medical expenses incurred by the participant, their spouse, or dependents; (2) to purchase (excluding mortgage payments) a principal residence of the participant; (3) for the payment of post-secondary tuition expenses; (4) payments to prevent eviction from principal residence; (5) funeral expenses for the participant’s parent, spouse, children or dependents; or, (6) related to expenses for the repair of damage to the participant’s principal residence caused by fire, storm, or other casualty.

Participants leaving employment with the Company before becoming fully vested forfeit their non-vested interest in the Matching Contributions and Profit Sharing Contributions. These forfeitures are used to pay expenses and to reduce the Company’s current or future contributions under the Plan. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, forfeited non-vested accounts totaled approximately $321,000, and $316,000, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company used approximately $256,000 and $263,000, of forfeitures to pay Plan expenses, respectively.

Each participant is entitled to exercise voting rights attributable to the shares of Berkshire’s Class B common stock fund allocated to the participant’s account.

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The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

The following accounting policies, which conform with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) and with the requirements of ERISA, have been used consistently in the preparation of the Plan’s financial statements.

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting.

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of net assets available for benefits and changes therein and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The Plan’s investments presented in the accompanying Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 are stated at fair value as reported by the Trustee. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

Investments in the common/collective trusts are valued at net asset value based upon the fair values of the underlying net assets of the trusts, as determined by the issuer. Vanguard Retirement Savings Trust III (“VRSTIII”) invests in fully benefit-responsive investment contracts, including traditional contracts, wrapper contracts re-bid to determine the replacement cost and underlying bond instruments valued by the Trustee. The net asset value is used as a practical expedient to estimate fair value. The practical expedient would not be used if it is determined to be probable that the fund will sell the investment for amount different from the reported net asset value.

See Note 3 for additional information about fair value.

Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Net appreciation includes the Plan’s gains and losses on investments bought and sold as well as held during the year.

Contributions from the Company and participants are accrued as they become obligations of the Company, as determined by the Plan’s administrator, and in the period in which they are deducted, in accordance with salary deferral agreements.

Benefits are recorded when paid.

Administrative fees and expenses of the Plan may be paid out of the Plan assets unless paid by the Company. Certain administrative fees are paid by the Company and are not reflected in the accompanying financial statements.

Notes receivable from participants are measured at their unpaid principal balance. Delinquent notes receivable from participants are recorded as a distribution based upon the terms of the Plan document.

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The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

Various inputs are used to determine the fair value of the Plan’s investments. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels described below:

If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

The asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for investments measured at fair value. There have been no changes in the methodologies used at December 31, 2018 or 2017.

Mutual Funds: Valued at fair value as determined by quoted market prices, which represents the net asset value of shares held by the Plan at year end and classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy..

Money Market Fund: Money market funds are valued based on the short-term cash component as of the measurement date and classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy as they are not publicly traded.

Berkshire Hathaway Class  B Common Stock Fund: The Berkshire Hathaway Class B Common Stock Fund is valued using a quoted active market price which is considered a Level 1 input.

The methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, while the Plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.

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The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Plan’s investments at fair value as of December 31, 2018 and 2017. The Plan has no investments classified within Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy.

(a) In accordance with ASU 2015-07, investments in VRSTIII that are measured at net asset value per share (or its equivalent) have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in this table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the line items presented as Investments at Fair Value in the Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits.

Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. In the event of Plan termination, participants would become 100% vested in their entire account.

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The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

The Plan has adopted a prototype plan. The prototype plan has received an opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) dated May 28, 2014 as to the prototype plan’s qualified status. The prototype plan opinion letter has been relied upon by this Plan. The plan administrator believes the Plan is designed and is being operated in compliance with the applicable provisions of the IRC.

U.S. GAAP requires management to evaluate tax positions taken by the Plan and recognize a tax liability (or asset) if the Plan has taken an uncertain position that more likely than not would not be sustained upon examination by the IRS. The Plan administrator has analyzed the tax positions taken by the Plan and has concluded that as of December 31, 2018, there are no uncertain positions taken or expected to be taken that would require recognition of a liability (or asset) or disclosure in the financial statements. The Plan is subject to routine audits by taxing jurisdictions; however, there are currently no audits for any tax periods in progress.

The Plan invests in various marketable securities. Marketable securities are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, market and credit. Due to the level of risk associated with certain marketable securities and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the value of marketable securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in values of marketable securities in the near term would materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for benefits and the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits.

The Plan invests in shares of mutual funds and a common collective trust managed by an affiliate of the Trustee and, therefore, transactions in such investments, as well as loans made to participants, qualify as party-in-interest transactions, which are exempt from the prohibited transaction rules. Additionally, the Plan has a number of service providers, which qualify as parties-in-interest. Fees paid by the Plan to parties-in-interest amounted to approximately $517,000 and $545,000 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The Plan also invests in the Class B common stock fund of Berkshire Hathaway. The Plan had purchases of approximately $479,000 and $536,000 of Berkshire Class B Common Stock Fund during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Plan had approximately $208,000 and $153,000 of sales of the Berkshire Class B Common Stock Fund during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

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The Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2018 and 2017

The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements at December 31, 2018 and 2017, to Form 5500:

The following is a reconciliation of the net increase (decrease) in net assets available for benefits per the financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, to net increase per Form 5500:

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