Berkshire Hathaway vs Marriott: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Berkshire Hathaway reported $371.4B of revenue in FY2025 and $67B of net income. Marriott reported $26.2B of revenue in FY2025 and $2.6B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Berkshire Hathaway
- Latest revenue
- $371.4B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $67B
- Net margin
- 18.0%
- Revenue growth
- +6.3% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Marriott
- Latest revenue
- $26.2B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $2.6B
- Net margin
- 9.9%
- Revenue growth
- +6.1% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Financial summary
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.
Marriott
Marriott reported FY2025 revenue of $26.186 billion and net income of $2.601 billion, with gross fee revenues of $5.438 billion. Because owners fund the hotels, Marriott's capital needs are modest and most cash goes back to shareholders: over $4.0 billion was returned in 2025. In Q2 2026 revenue was $7.071 billion, net income $766 million and adjusted EBITDA $1.592 billion; management raised 2026 guidance to global RevPAR growth of 3% to 3.5%, adjusted EBITDA of $5.97 to $6.03 billion and more than $4.5 billion of capital returns.
Revenue and profit by year
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 |
Marriott
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $26.2B | $2.6B | 9.9% | +4.3% | Source |
| FY2024 | $25.1B | $2.4B | 9.5% | +5.8% | Source |
| FY2023 | $23.7B | $3.1B | 13.0% | +14.2% | Source |
| FY2022 | $20.8B | $2.4B | 11.4% | +49.9% | Source |
| FY2021 | $13.9B | $1.1B | 7.9% | +31.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | $10.6B | -$267M | -2.5% | -49.6% | Source |
| FY2019 | $21B | $1.3B | 6.1% | +1.0% | Source |
| FY2018 | $20.8B | $1.9B | 9.2% | +1.5% | Source |
| FY2017 | $20.5B | $1.5B | 7.1% | +32.7% | Source |
| FY2016 | $15.4B | $808M | 5.2% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
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.
Marriott
- Franchise Fees
$3.325B in FY2025
Fees paid by hotel owners and franchisees for using Marriott brands, reservation systems, standards, and distribution.
- Base Management Fees
$1.322B in FY2025
Management fees earned for operating hotels on behalf of third-party owners, typically tied to property revenue.
- Incentive Management Fees
$791M in FY2025
Performance-linked fees earned when managed hotels meet profitability thresholds.
- Cost Reimbursement Revenue
$19.204B in FY2025
Reimbursement revenue tied to centralized programs and services, including loyalty and other owner-supported costs.
- Owned, Leased, and Other Revenue
$1.679B in FY2025
Revenue from owned or leased hotels and other lodging-related activities outside the pure fee stream.
Business model and strategy
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.
Marriott
How it makes money
Marriott makes money mainly from fees. Franchise fees ($3.325B in FY2025) come from owners who license a Marriott brand, reservation system and Bonvoy distribution; this line also includes co-branded credit card and residential branding fees. Base management fees ($1.322B) and incentive management fees ($791M) come from hotels Marriott operates for owners.
Growth strategy
Growth comes from adding rooms rather than buying buildings. Marriott signed nearly 1,200 organic deals (about 163,000 rooms) in 2025 and posted record signings in the first half of 2026.
Competitive advantage
Marriott's advantage is scale on both sides of the market. For travelers, Marriott Bonvoy (more than 295 million members by June 2026) and over 30 brands across price points create reasons to book direct. For owners and lenders, that demand engine, plus Marriott's distribution and procurement scale, makes a Marriott flag easier to finance and fill, which feeds a record development pipeline of about 629,000 rooms.
Questions about Berkshire Hathaway vs Marriott
Which company has higher revenue — Berkshire Hathaway Inc. or Marriott International?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reported $371.4B (FY2025), while Marriott International reported $26.2B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is the larger business, with Marriott International reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs Marriott International?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $1.07T, while Marriott International's is $91.5B. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Marriott International.
Which is more financially efficient — Berkshire Hathaway Inc. or Marriott International?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. generates $958k / employee in revenue per employee, while Marriott International generates $177k / 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 Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Marriott International make money?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Marriott International generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: Berkshire's business model is capital allocation on top of a decentralized group of operating companies. Marriott International: Marriott makes money mainly from fees.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Berkshire Hathaway Inc. or Marriott International?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. trades at 2.9x P/S and Marriott International at 3.5x P/S. Marriott International commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc. bigger than Marriott International?
By last reported revenue, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. ($371.4B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Marriott International ($26.2B (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 Berkshire Hathaway vs Marriott overview