With very limited exceptions, gains or losses from marketable securities are recorded only upon sale. Berkshire has large amounts of unrealized gains, and sales are never made with an eye to their effect on reported earnings. During the first six months of 2008, our unrealized gains fell by $10.7 billion (leaving us a total of $21.1 billion in unrealized gains at the end of June). That decline of $10.7 billion does not show in our reported earnings. What is included is a realized gain: $361 million pre-tax and $235 million after-tax.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
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