BRK-B vs MKL: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: BRK-B, with $371.4B of yearly revenue, about 24× MKL's $15.5B.
  • More profitable: BRK-B keeps 18 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 14 cents at MKL.
  • More cash from each sale: MKL turns 18 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 12 cents at BRK-B.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) is the larger business by reported revenue: $371.4B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 24× MKL's $15.5B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). BRK-B's net margin was 18.0% and MKL's 13.6%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 6331 (Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance).

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Financials
SEC industry
Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance
Same classification
Fiscal year ends
December 31
Same calendar
Reviewed
Mar 2, 2026

BRK-B vs MKL: quick comparison

Company factBRK-BMKL
CompanyBerkshire Hathaway Inc.Markel Group Inc.
ExchangeNYSENYSE
HeadquartersOmaha, Nebraska—
Founded1839—
SEC industryFire, Marine & Casualty InsuranceFire, Marine & Casualty Insurance
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-03-0210-K · 2026-02-26

BRK-B vs MKL: audited financials

  • Scale: BRK-B's $371.4B of revenue is about 24× MKL's $15.5B.
  • Net margin: BRK-B kept 18.0% of revenue as net income versus 13.6% at MKL.
  • Cash flow: operating cash flow is left out of this reading because lending, deposit, and trading balances run through it at banks, brokers, and insurers, so it does not measure earnings quality the way it does for an operating company.
  • Periods: both fiscal years end on 2025-12-31, so these annual figures cover the same months.

BRK-B: FY ending 2025-12-31 · MKL: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where BRK-B and MKL overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 6331, Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance.
  • Same fiscal calendar: both fiscal years end December 31.

Differences

  • Only BRK-B maps to Economic trends.
  • Only MKL maps to Rates & central banks.
  • Scale: BRK-B reported about 24× the annual revenue of MKL.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B)

Berkshire Hathaway is a diversified holding company with insurance, railroad, energy, and manufacturing operations, plus a large equity portfolio. Built by Warren Buffett, it is renowned for disciplined capital allocation.

Markel Group Inc. (MKL)

Markel Group is a specialty insurer that also holds a diversified portfolio of investments and businesses.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves BRK-B

  • Insurance underwriting results and the cost of float across GEICO, primary, and reinsurance
  • Investment income on cash, Treasury bills, and the concentrated equity portfolio
  • BNSF volumes and Berkshire Hathaway Energy regulatory outcomes, including PacifiCorp wildfire litigation
  • Capital allocation under Greg Abel, including share repurchases and acquisitions

What moves MKL

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for MKL. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-26.

The investment question

You now know BRK-B reports about 24× MKL's revenue, and BRK-B keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about the fire, marine & casualty insurance cycle, including “Insurance underwriting results and the cost of float across GEICO, primary, and reinsurance” at BRK-B, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. Both fiscal years end December 31, so annual reports line up, but check segment definitions before comparing growth or margins.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 0 matched transaction rows for BRK-B and 28 matched transaction rows for MKL. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

BRK-B vs MKL FAQs

Are BRK-B and MKL direct competitors?

Berkshire Hathaway and Markel share the SEC industry classification “Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.

Is BRK-B or MKL the bigger company by revenue?

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) is the larger business by reported revenue: $371.4B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 24× MKL's $15.5B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). BRK-B's net margin was 18.0% and MKL's 13.6%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 6331 (Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance). Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, BRK-B or MKL?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this BRK-B vs MKL comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Markel Group Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-10-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-10-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

BRK-B vs MKL compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

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