AXA vs Berkshire Hathaway: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
AXA reported ~$131.1B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$11.1B of net income. Berkshire Hathaway reported $371.4B of revenue in FY2025 and $67B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
AXA
- Latest revenue
- ~$131.1B (FY2025)
- Net income
- ~$11.1B
- Net margin
- 8.4%
- Revenue growth
- +1.7% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Berkshire Hathaway
- Latest revenue
- $371.4B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $67B
- Net margin
- 18.0%
- Revenue growth
- +6.3% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Financial summary
AXA
AXA's results combine large, slow-moving premium income with investment income on the reserves it holds. In 2025 gross written premiums and other revenues rose 6% to ~$131 billion (EUR 116 billion), underlying earnings rose 6% to ~$9.49 billion (EUR 8.4 billion), underlying earnings per share rose 8% to EUR 3.86 and net income rose to ~$11.1 billion (EUR 9.80 billion), helped by the gain on the sale of AXA Investment Managers. The property and casualty combined ratio improved 0.3 points to 90.6%, so underwriting itself was profitable before investment income. The Solvency II ratio ended 2025 at 224%, and 215% on January 1, 2026 once capital instruments under Solvency II transitional measures stopped qualifying. AXA proposed a dividend of EUR 2.32 per share for 2025, up 8%, alongside an annual buyback of up to $1.41 billion (EUR 1.25 billion).
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire reported 2025 revenue of $371.444 billion, operating earnings of $44.486 billion (down from $47.437 billion in 2024 and above the five-year average of about $37.5 billion), and net earnings attributable to shareholders of $66.968 billion. GAAP net earnings swing with the equity portfolio: 2025 included $30.737 billion of after-tax investment gains and $8.255 billion of after-tax impairments on Kraft Heinz and Occidental. The businesses produced $46 billion of net cash from operating activities. Insurance earned $9.460 billion of pre-tax underwriting profit, with GEICO contributing $6.824 billion, and insurance float grew to $176 billion from $171 billion a year earlier. Shareholders' equity ended 2025 at $717.4 billion, up $68.1 billion, and the insurance and other businesses held $369.0 billion of cash, cash equivalents and US Treasury Bills. Berkshire repurchased no stock in 2025 and has paid no dividend since 1967.
Revenue and profit by year
AXA
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$131.1B | ~$11.1B | 8.4% | +5.2% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$124.6B | ~$8.9B | 7.2% | +7.4% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$116.1B | ~$8.1B | 7.0% | +0.7% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$115.3B | — | 0.0% | +2.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$112.9B | ~$8.2B | 7.3% | +3.0% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$109.6B | — | 0.0% | -6.3% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$117B | — | 0.0% | +0.6% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$116.3B | — | 0.0% | — | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$113B | — | 0.0% | — | Source |
Berkshire Hathaway
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $371.4B | $67B | 18.0% | +0.0% | Source |
| FY2024 | $371.4B | $89B | 24.0% | +1.9% | Source |
| FY2023 | $364.5B | $96.2B | 26.4% | +20.7% | Source |
| FY2022 | $302B | -$22.8B | -7.5% | +9.4% | Source |
| FY2021 | $276.2B | $89.9B | 32.6% | +12.5% | Source |
| FY2020 | $245.6B | $42.5B | 17.3% | -3.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $254.6B | $81.4B | 32.0% | +2.7% | Source |
| FY2018 | $247.8B | $4B | 1.6% | +3.3% | Source |
| FY2017 | $239.9B | $44.9B | 18.7% | +11.5% | Source |
| FY2016 | $215.1B | $24.1B | 11.2% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
AXA
- Property & Casualty Insurance~50%
Gross written premiums and revenues of ~$65.5 billion (EUR 58 billion) in 2025, up 5%, including personal lines of ~$22.3 billion (EUR 19.7 billion) and AXA XL Reinsurance of ~$2.94 billion (EUR 2.6 billion). The 90.6% combined ratio means the book was profitable before investment income.
- Life & Savings Insurance~32%
~$42.4 billion (EUR 37.5 billion) of 2025 premiums and revenues, up 9%, with unit-linked business up 13%. Capital-light savings and protection contracts have replaced much of the traditional guaranteed savings book.
- Health Insurance~16%
~$21.5 billion (EUR 19 billion) of 2025 premiums and revenues, up 5% on pricing, spanning individual cover, group schemes and employee benefits. Health earnings grew 17% in 2025.
- Asset Management (divested July 2025)~1%
AXA Investment Managers contributed revenues only until July 1, 2025, when it was sold to BNP Paribas Cardif for ~$5.76 billion (EUR 5.1 billion) in cash out of a ~$6.1 billion (EUR 5.4 billion) total transaction value.
Berkshire Hathaway
- Insurance premiums earned23.9%
GEICO, Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group earned $88.902B of premiums in 2025 and produced $9.460B of pre-tax underwriting earnings.
- Sales and service revenues53.7%
Manufacturing, service and retailing businesses, plus McLane and Pilot distribution, generated $199.524B of sales and service revenue in 2025, the largest revenue line and a thin-margin one.
- Interest, dividend and other investment income6.3%
Investment income of $23.261B in 2025 came mostly from US Treasury Bills and dividends on the equity portfolio.
- Freight rail transportation6.3%
BNSF produced $23.330B of freight revenue in 2025 hauling consumer products, industrial products, agricultural and energy products and coal.
- Utility and energy operating revenues5.9%
Berkshire Hathaway Energy's regulated utilities and pipelines produced $21.856B in 2025, serving about 5.4 million retail customers.
- Leasing revenues2.7%
Leasing businesses including XTRA trailer leasing and other equipment lessors produced $10.034B in 2025.
- Railroad, utilities and energy service revenues and other income1.2%
Service revenues and other income inside the railroad, utilities and energy group added $4.537B in 2025.
Business model and strategy
AXA
How it makes money
AXA collects premiums across three businesses: property and casualty (motor, home, commercial property, liability and specialty risks written through AXA XL), life and savings (protection, general account savings and unit-linked contracts), and health (individual cover and employee benefits).
Growth strategy
AXA grows mostly organically in insurance lines it can price, supplemented by bolt-on deals: Laya Healthcare in Ireland and GACM España in 2023, and a 51% stake in the Italian direct insurer Prima announced in 2025 for ~$565 million (EUR 500 million). The bigger strategic move has been simplification.
Competitive advantage
AXA's main advantage is a diversified risk pool. Writing motor, home, commercial property, liability, health and life cover in 52 countries lets one bad year in a single market or line be absorbed elsewhere: in 2025 growth in health and European commercial lines offset pressure in other portfolios. Its balance sheet supports that spread, with a Solvency II ratio of 224% at the end of 2025.
Berkshire Hathaway
How it makes money
Berkshire's business model is capital allocation on top of a decentralized group of operating companies. Subsidiary managers run their own businesses, with no corporate budget submissions and no committee structure at headquarters, and send surplus cash to Omaha.
Growth strategy
Berkshire's size limits what can move its results, so growth comes from large purchases, reinvestment inside existing businesses and buying back its own stock. Buffett described the 2009 BNSF agreement, a $34 billion investment in the railroad, as an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States.
Competitive advantage
Berkshire's advantages are permanent capital, a balance sheet that stays liquid by design, and a reputation that brings sellers to it.
Questions about AXA vs Berkshire Hathaway
Which company has higher revenue — AXA SA or Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
AXA SA reported ~$131.1B (FY2025), while Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reported $371.4B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is the larger business, with AXA SA reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of AXA SA vs Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
AXA SA's market capitalisation stands at $90.3B, while Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s is $1.07T. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to AXA SA.
Which is more financially efficient — AXA SA or Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
AXA SA generates $840k / employee in revenue per employee, while Berkshire Hathaway Inc. generates $958k / employee. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do AXA SA and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. make money?
AXA SA and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. AXA SA: AXA collects premiums across three businesses: property and casualty (motor, home, commercial property, liability and specialty risks written through AXA XL), life and savings (protection, general account savings and unit-linked contracts), and health (individual cover and employee benefits). Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: Berkshire's business model is capital allocation on top of a decentralized group of operating companies.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — AXA SA or Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, AXA SA trades at 0.7x P/S and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. at 2.9x P/S. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to AXA SA. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is AXA SA bigger than Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
By last reported revenue, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. ($371.4B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to AXA SA (~$131.1B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the AXA vs Berkshire Hathaway overview