Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs BlackRock, Inc.: Strategic Comparison
Key Differences at a Glance
| Field | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | BlackRock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $371.4B | $24.2B |
| Founded | 1839 | 1988 |
| Employees | 387,800 | 25,000 |
| Market Cap | $1.05T | $115.0B |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Quick Stats Comparison
| Metric | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | BlackRock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $371.4B | $24.2B |
| Founded | 1839 | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska | New York, NY |
| Market Cap | $1.05T | $115.0B |
| Employees | 387,800 | 25,000 |
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Revenue vs BlackRock, Inc. Revenue — Year by Year
| Year | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | BlackRock, Inc. | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $371.4B | $24.2B | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. |
| 2024 | $371.4B | $20.4B | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. |
| 2023 | $364.5B | $17.9B | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. |
Business Model Breakdown
Overview: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs BlackRock, Inc.
This in-depth comparison examines Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. across revenue, market value, business model, competitive positioning, and long-term growth strategy. Whether you are researching Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on its own, evaluating BlackRock, Inc., or weighing the two companies side by side, the breakdown below highlights where each company leads and where the gap between Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. is widest.
On the headline numbers, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reports annual revenue of $371.4B against $24.2B for BlackRock, Inc., while their respective market capitalizations stand at $1.05T and $115.0B. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is headquartered in United States and BlackRock, Inc. operates from United States, and those different home markets shape how each company competes.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: Berkshire began as a textile company and became a holding company after Warren Buffett gained control in 1965. The modern company is a collection of operating businesses and investments bound by decentralized management, conservative financing, and a long-term shareholder culture.
BlackRock, Inc.: Founded in 1988 around risk management, BlackRock became a global asset-management leader through institutional fixed income, the acquisition of Barclays Global Investors and iShares, and steady expansion into technology and alternatives.
Business Models: How Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. Make Money
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. pursue distinct approaches to generating revenue, and understanding how each company operates is the foundation of any fair comparison between Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc..
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. business model: Berkshire makes money through insurance underwriting and float investment, freight rail, regulated utilities and energy infrastructure, industrial manufacturing, wholesale distribution, retail, services, and a large portfolio of equity and fixed-income investments.
BlackRock, Inc. business model: BlackRock earns recurring fees from assets under management, advisory mandates, ETFs, alternatives, technology subscriptions, performance fees, distribution services, and securities lending. Its economics rise and fall with market levels, client flows, and product mix.
Competitive Advantage: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs BlackRock, Inc.
The durability of a company's moat often decides long-term winners. Here is how the competitive advantages of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stack up against those of BlackRock, Inc..
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. competitive advantage: Berkshire's advantage is permanent capital, insurance float, a conservative balance sheet, reputation with sellers, and a decentralized culture that attracts owner-minded managers.
BlackRock, Inc. competitive advantage: BlackRock's advantage is unmatched ETF scale, institutional trust, Aladdin workflow integration, broad product coverage, and global distribution.
Growth Strategy: Where Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. Are Headed
Future prospects matter as much as current results. The growth strategies below explain how Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. each plan to expand from here.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. growth strategy: Berkshire's growth strategy is not a top-down operating plan; it is disciplined capital allocation. The company reinvests in subsidiaries, buys public equities, acquires private businesses when prices fit, and keeps a fortress balance sheet for downturns.
BlackRock, Inc. growth strategy: BlackRock is building a broader public-private platform: iShares for ETFs, Aladdin and Preqin for technology and data, GIP and HPS for private markets, and retirement solutions for long-duration client demand.
Financial Picture: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs BlackRock, Inc.
A closer look at the financial trajectory of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. rounds out the comparison.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: For FY2025, Berkshire reported $371.444B in revenue and $66.968B in net income attributable to shareholders. Its filing reported about 387,800 employees worldwide at year-end. The updated net income replaces the prior-year comparison figure previously used in this profile.
BlackRock, Inc.: For FY2025, BlackRock reported total revenue of $24.216B, operating income of $7.045B, and net income attributable to BlackRock of $5.553B. The employee base is described as nearly 25,000 people in the annual report.
Company-Specific SWOT Notes
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Berkshire's advantage is permanent capital, insurance float, a conservative balance sheet, reputation with sellers, and a decentralized culture that attracts owner-minded managers.
Berkshire's size makes high-return capital deployment harder, and results can swing with insurance losses and investment-market changes.
Large cash and Treasury holdings give Berkshire optionality if markets dislocate or attractive private businesses become available.
Berkshire Hathaway's biggest risk is the challenge of deploying very large amounts of capital at attractive returns while managing insurance catastrophe exposure, equity-market volatility, and succession execution.
BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock combines iShares scale, institutional relationships, and Aladdin technology in a way few asset managers can match.
AUM-linked fees still make revenue sensitive to asset prices and competitive pricing pressure.
GIP, HPS, Preqin, and Aladdin create opportunities beyond traditional public-market management fees.
Regulatory scrutiny and acquisition integration risk grow with BlackRock's scale and influence.
Head-to-Head Scorecard
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Scale | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reports the larger revenue base ($371.4B), which serves as a core operational scale signal. |
| Profitability Potential | Comparable | Both organizations prioritize market penetration or are at equivalent reporting tiers. |
| Company Age | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Founded in 1839 vs 1988. The earlier pioneer typically commands longer historical institutional legacy. |
| Innovation Moat | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Higher aggregate count of major acquisitions and key R&D releases indicates a more active technology absorption velocity. |
| Scale (Employees) | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | A significantly larger reported workforce supports enhanced global distribution capability. |
| Market Cap | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Higher public valuation denotes greater forward-looking investor conviction in earnings potential. |
| Future Outlook | Tied | Strategic auditing assesses that both maintain defensive leadership vectors within their core market clusters. |
Who Wins Each Category?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reports the larger revenue base ($371.4B), which serves as a core operational scale signal.
Both organizations prioritize market penetration or are at equivalent reporting tiers.
Founded in 1839 vs 1988. The earlier pioneer typically commands longer historical institutional legacy.
Higher aggregate count of major acquisitions and key R&D releases indicates a more active technology absorption velocity.
A significantly larger reported workforce supports enhanced global distribution capability.
Who Wins: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. or BlackRock, Inc.?
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya, May 2026 - Author Profile
Our analysts compile business strategy profiles from public financial filings, press releases, and analyst reports. Each profile is reviewed for accuracy before publication by our editorial desk and updated on a rolling basis.
Frequently Asked Questions: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs BlackRock, Inc.
Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. better than BlackRock, Inc.?
Verdict: Between Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and BlackRock, Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is the stronger overall option based on higher annual revenue. The decision still depends on which factors matter most for your needs, but on the weight of the evidence above, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. comes out ahead in this Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs BlackRock, Inc. comparison.
Who earns more — Berkshire Hathaway Inc. or BlackRock, Inc.?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. earns more with $371.4B in annual revenue versus BlackRock, Inc.'s $24.2B. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. leads on total revenue based on latest verified figures.
Which company has higher revenue — Berkshire Hathaway Inc. or BlackRock, Inc.?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reported $371.4B, while BlackRock, Inc. reported $24.2B. The revenue leader is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. based on latest verified figures.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. revenue vs BlackRock, Inc. revenue — which is higher?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. revenue: $371.4B. BlackRock, Inc. revenue: $24.2B. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has the larger revenue base of the two companies.
Sources & References
- SEC EDGAR: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Annual Filings (10-K, 8-K)
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Corporate Website
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Annual Report 2025 - Revenue and Financial Data
- berkshirehathaway.com
- sec.gov
- data.sec.gov
- berkshirehathaway.com
- SEC EDGAR: BlackRock, Inc. Annual Filings (10-K, 8-K)
- BlackRock, Inc. Corporate Website
- BlackRock, Inc. Annual Report 2025 - Revenue and Financial Data
- s24.q4cdn.com
- sec.gov
- data.sec.gov
- ir.blackrock.com