Berkshire Hathaway's profit surged 34% on strong insurance results and investment gains, ending with a record $381.7B in cash.

Berkshire Hathaway posted a 34% increase in third-quarter operating profit to $13.49 billion and a 17% rise in net income to $30.8 billion, driven by stronger insurance results and investment gains, including from Apple holdings. The company ended the quarter with a record $381.7 billion in cash, maintained a cautious outlook, and chose not to repurchase stock. Operating earnings rose across insurance, railroads, energy, manufacturing, and retail, while insurance float grew to $176 billion. Berkshire emphasized that investment gains can be volatile and recommended reviewing the full financial filing for context.