Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A), (NYSE:BRK.B) will announce its earnings for the first three months of 2013 today, Friday May 3, after the market closes. Warren Buffett’s firm will hold its annual general meeting on Saturday and Sunday in order to discuss the earnings report, and other matters relating to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) business.
Analysts following Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) are looking for earnings of $1.25 per share on B-class shares, on revenue of $42.2 billion. In the first quarter of 2012, the company earned $1.08 per share on revenue of $38.1 billion.
Since the start of 2013, the price of B-class Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.B) has increased by close to 20%. The shares will start open on today’s market at $107.30. The firm’s A class shares are trading for more than $160,000, and have also increased by close to 20% since the start of the year.
One of the big issues that will dominate this weekend’s meeting will be the plan to find a successor to Warren Buffett. No investor before him has managed to gain such a following for such a long time, and his successor will be under a lot of pressure to keep up with his legacy. The issue of Buffett’s retirement, and his age, have dominated most of the firm’s meetings for some years at this stage.
Berkshire Hathaway And Heinz:
Other issues that are sure to arise in the weekend’s proceedings are the company’s recent decision to acquire Heinz, Buffett’s medium term outlook on the US and world economy,
On Saturday Buffett, and his right hand man Charlie Munger, will be available to investors at a five hour meeting where they will field questions about the future of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B), and the economy in general. It is probably of more interest to investors than the earnings numbers set for this afternoon will be.
Another factor that seems to be causing some worry among Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A), (NYSE:BRK.B) investors is the firm’s size, and it’s sprawl among so many different business sectors. Investors are confident Buffett can handle his fingers in so many pots, but his successor may not be as successful.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) is expected to announce its earnings at 16:30 EST sharp. The company’s annual gathering will begin unofficially this afternoon, with many of the richest people in the world heading to Nebraska.
