Berkshire's Q2 2026 Earnings: A 119% Jump, But Read the Fine Print

Berkshire Hathaway posted $25.7 billion in Q2 2026 net earnings, up 119% year-over-year, per its August 8 release. The catch: $12.7 billion came from investment gains — unrealized marks on stock holdings that current accounting rules run through earnings. The cleaner metric, operating earnings (profit from actual businesses), grew 18%, Forbes reported. That's the number to watch.