Berkshire Hathaway's retail revenues rise 4.9% in 3Q

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, November 5, 2012

OMAHA, Neb. — Third quarter revenues from Berkshire Hathaway's retailing operations - which includes four furniture chains, plus jewelry and candy businesses - increased 4.9% to $712 million from $679 million, according to the company's latest quarterly report.

Pre-tax earnings from the businesses increased 6.5% to $33 million for the period ended Sept. 30, from $31 million a year ago.

Berkshire's retailing operations consist of Nebraska Furniture Mart, R.C. Willey, Star Furniture and Jordan's in furniture - which together are No. 5 on Furniture/Today's Top 100 - as well as three jewelry chains and See's Candies.

Through the first nine months of the year, retailing revenues increased 5% to $$2.2 billion and pre-tax earnings were up 18% to $127 million.

For all of Berkshire, net earnings attributable to shareholders increased 72.1% to $3.92 billion in the third quarter and 42.6% to $10.27 billion for the first nine months. Revenues totaled $41.05 billion for the quarter, up 21.7%, and $117.74 billion for the first nine months, up 11.4%.