def14a
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant þ
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6[e][2]) |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12 |
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement If Other Than The Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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No fee required |
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. |
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 0-11: (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
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BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
1440 Kiewit Plaza
Omaha, Nebraska 68131
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
May 5, 2007
To The Shareholders:
Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway
Inc. will be held at the Qwest Center Omaha, 455 North 10th Street, Omaha, Nebraska, on
May 5, 2007 at 3:15 p.m. for the following purposes:
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To elect directors. |
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To act on a shareholder proposal, if properly presented at the meeting. |
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To consider and act upon any other matters that may properly come before the
meeting or any adjournment thereof. |
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 6, 2007 as the record date for
determining the shareholders having the right to vote at the meeting or any adjournment thereof. A
list of such shareholders will be available for examination by a shareholder for any purpose
germane to the meeting during ordinary business hours at the offices of the Corporation at 1440
Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska, during the ten days prior to the meeting.
You are requested to date, sign and return the enclosed proxy which is solicited by the Board
of Directors of the Corporation and will be voted as indicated in the accompanying proxy statement
and proxy. A return envelope is provided which requires no postage if mailed in the United States.
If mailed elsewhere, foreign postage must be affixed.
Prior to the formal annual meeting, just as in recent years, the doors will open at the
Qwest Center at 7:00 a.m. and the movie will be shown at 8:30 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., the question and
answer period will commence. The question and answer period will last until 3:00 p.m. (with a
short break for lunch). After a recess, the formal Annual Meeting of Shareholders will convene at
3:15 p.m.
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By order of the Board of Directors
FORREST N. KRUTTER, Secretary
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Omaha, Nebraska
March 19, 2007
A shareholder may request meeting credentials for admission to the meeting by
completing and promptly returning to the Company the meeting credential order form
accompanying this notice. Otherwise, meeting credentials may be obtained at the meeting by
persons identifying themselves as shareholders as of the record date. For a record owner,
possession of a proxy card will be adequate identification. For a
beneficial-but-not-of-record owner, a copy of a brokers statement showing shares held for
his or her benefit on March 6, 2007 will be adequate identification.
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
1440 Kiewit Plaza
Omaha, Nebraska 68131
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
May 5, 2007
This statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors
of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (hereinafter Berkshire or the Corporation) of proxies in the
accompanying form for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at
3:15 p.m. and at any adjournment thereof.
This proxy statement and the enclosed form of proxy were first sent to shareholders on or
about March 19, 2007.
If the form of proxy enclosed herewith is executed and returned as requested, it may
nevertheless be revoked at any time prior to exercise by filing an instrument revoking it or a duly
executed proxy bearing a later date.
Solicitation of proxies will be made solely by mail at the Corporations expense. The
Corporation will reimburse brokerage firms, banks, trustees and others for their actual
out-of-pocket expenses in forwarding proxy material to the beneficial owners of its common stock.
As of the close of business on March 6, 2007, the record date for the Annual Meeting, the
Corporation had outstanding and entitled to vote 1,113,240 shares of Class A Common Stock
(hereinafter called Class A Stock) and 12,888,424 shares of Class B Common Stock (hereinafter
called Class B Stock). Each share of Class A Stock is entitled to one vote per share and each
share of Class B Stock is entitled to one-two-hundredth (1/200) of one vote per share on all
matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation. The Class A Stock and Class B
Stock vote together as a single class. Only shareholders of record at the close of business on
March 6, 2007 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or at any adjournment thereof.
The presence at the meeting, in person or by proxy, of the holders of Class A Stock and Class
B Stock holding in the aggregate a majority of the voting power of the Corporations stock entitled
to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A plurality of the votes
properly cast for the election of directors by the shareholders attending the meeting, in person or
by proxy, will elect directors to office. However, pursuant to the Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Corporate Governance Guidelines, if a director nominee in an uncontested election receives a
greater number of votes withheld from his or her election than votes for that directors
election, the nominee shall promptly offer his or her resignation to the Board. A committee
consisting of the Boards independent directors (which will specifically exclude any director who
is required to offer his or her own resignation) shall consider all relevant factors and decide on
behalf of the Board the action to be taken with respect to such offered resignation and will
determine whether to accept the resignation or take other action. The Corporation will publicly
disclose the Boards decision with regard to any resignation offered under these circumstances with
an explanation of how the decision was reached, including, if applicable, the reasons for rejecting
the offered resignation.
A majority of votes properly cast upon any other question shall decide the question.
Abstentions and broker non-votes will count for purposes of establishing a quorum, but will not
count as votes cast for the election of directors or any other question and accordingly will have
no effect.
Shareholders who send in proxies but attend the meeting in person may vote directly if they
prefer and withdraw their proxies or may allow their proxies to be voted with the similar proxies
sent in by other shareholders.
1
1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
At the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, a Board of Directors consisting of eleven members
will be elected, each director to hold office until a successor is elected and qualified, or until
the director resigns, is removed or becomes disqualified.
Upon the recommendation of the Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee, the members
of the Board of Directors have nominated for election ten of the eleven current directors of the
Corporation and one additional individual. Mr. Malcolm Chace who has served as a Berkshire
director since 1992 will be retiring from the Board of Directors. Certain information with respect
to nominees for election as directors is contained in the following table:
WARREN E. BUFFETT, age 76, has been a director of the Corporation since 1965 and has been
its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since 1970. Mr. Buffett is a controlling person of
the Corporation. He is also a director of The Washington Post Company.
HOWARD G. BUFFETT, age 52, has been a director of the Corporation since 1993. For more
than the past five years, Mr. Buffett has been President of Buffett Farms and President of
BioImages, a photography and publishing company. From June of 1996 until August of 2001, Mr.
Buffett was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of The GSI Group, a company primarily
engaged in the manufacture of agricultural equipment. He is also a director of ConAgra Foods
Inc. and Lindsay Manufacturing Co.
SUSAN L. DECKER, age 44, has been nominated to replace Mr. Chace as a director of the
Corporation. Ms. Decker has been the Chief Financial Officer of Yahoo! Inc., a leading global
internet brand, since June 2000 and has been an Executive Vice President since January 2002.
Effective January 1, 2007, she was named to head the Yahoo! Advertiser and Publisher Group.
She will also continue in her current position with Yahoo! until her replacement is appointed.
Ms. Decker is also a director of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Intel Corporation.
WILLIAM H. GATES III, age 51, has been a director of the Corporation since 2004. For more
than the past five years, Mr. Gates has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of Microsoft
Corporation, a software company. Mr. Gates was the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft
Corporation from its incorporation in 1981 until January 2000, and he has been its Chief
Software Architect since January 2000.
DAVID S. GOTTESMAN, age 80, has been a director of the Corporation since 2003. For more
than the past five years, he has been a principal of First Manhattan Co., an investment
advisory firm.
CHARLOTTE GUYMAN, age 50, has been a director of the Corporation since 2003. Ms. Guyman
was a general manager with Microsoft Corporation until July 1999 and has been retired since
that time. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of UW Medicine, an academic
medical center, and serves as Chairman of its Finance Committee.
DONALD R. KEOUGH, age 80, has been a director of the Corporation since 2003. For more
than the past five years, he has been Chairman of Allen & Company, an investment banking firm.
Mr. Keough currently is a director of Convera Corporation, InterActive Corp. and The
Coca-Cola Company.
CHARLES T. MUNGER, age 83, has been a director and Vice Chairman of the Corporations
Board of Directors since 1978. Since 1984, he has been Chairman of the Board of Directors and
Chief Executive Officer of Wesco Financial Corporation, approximately 80%-owned by the
Corporation. He has also served as President of Wesco Financial Corporation since May 2005.
Mr. Munger is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Daily Journal Corporation and a
director of Costco Wholesale Corporation.
THOMAS S. MURPHY, age 81, has been a director of the Corporation since 2003. Mr. Murphy
has been retired since 1996. He was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of
Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. from 1966 to 1990 and from February 1994 until his retirement in
1996.
RONALD L. OLSON, age 65, has been a director of the Corporation since 1997. For more than
the past five years, he has been a partner in the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. He
is also a director of City National Corporation, Edison International and The Washington Post
Company.
WALTER SCOTT, JR., age 75, has been a director of the Corporation since 1988. For more
than the past five years, he has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of Level 3
Communications, Inc., which is engaged in telecommunications and computer outsourcing and is a
successor to certain businesses of Peter Kiewit Sons Inc. He is also a director of
Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc., Peter Kiewit Sons Inc. and Valmont Industries Inc.
2
The Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee (Governance Committee) of the Board of
Directors has concluded that the following directors and nominee for director are independent in
accordance with the director independence standards of the New York Stock Exchange, and has
determined that none of them has a material relationship with the Corporation which would impair
his or her independence from management or otherwise compromise his or her ability to act as an
independent director: Susan L. Decker; William H. Gates III; David S. Gottesman; Charlotte Guyman;
Donald R. Keough; Thomas R. Murphy and Walter Scott, Jr.
In making its determination with respect to Mr. Scott, the Governance Committee considered his
role as Chairman of the Board and the holder of 10.8% of the voting stock of MidAmerican Energy
Holdings Company in which the Corporation owns approximately 86.6% (fully-diluted) of the voting
stock. The Governance Committee also considered the agreement between the Corporation and Mr.
Scott that requires Mr. Scott and his related family interests, before selling their MidAmerican
shares, to give the Corporation the right of first refusal to purchase their shares (if the
Corporation is legally permitted to buy them) or the opportunity to assign its right to purchase to
a third party (if it is not legally permitted to buy them). That same agreement also gives Mr.
Scott and his related family interests the right to put their shares to the Corporation (if the
Corporation is legally permitted to buy them) at fair market value to be determined by independent
appraisal if the sellers do not agree with the price offered by the Corporation, and payable in
Berkshire shares. The Governance Committee considered these relationships in light of the
attributes it believes need to be possessed by independent-minded directors, including personal
financial substance and a lack of economic dependence on the Corporation, as well as business
wisdom and ownership of Berkshire shares. The Governance Committee concluded that Mr. Scotts
relationships, rather than interfering with his ability to be independent from management, are
consistent with the business and financial substance that have made and continue to make him an
independent board member.
In making its determination with respect to Mr. Gates, the Governance Committee considered
that Mr. Gates and his wife are trustees of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates
Foundation) that in 2006 received a donation from Warren Buffett of 500,000 Class B shares of the
Corporation. These shares were received in connection with Mr. Buffetts pledge to donate Class B
stock to the Gates Foundation over the remainder of Mr. Buffetts life. Terms of his pledge are
described on Berkshires website at www.berkshirehathaway.com under the heading Letters from
Warren E. Buffett Regarding Pledges to Make Gifts of Berkshire Stock. The Governance Committee
considered these relationships in light of the attributes it believes need to be possessed by
independent-minded directors, including personal financial substance and a lack of economic
dependence on the Corporation, as well as business wisdom and ownership of Berkshire shares. The
Governance Committee concluded that Mr. Gates relationship had no impact on his independence and
that he continued to qualify as an independent director.
Howard G. Buffett is the son of Warren Buffett. Ronald L. Olson is a partner of the law firm
of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP rendered legal services to the
Corporation and its subsidiaries in 2006 and has been rendering services in 2007. The Corporation
and its subsidiaries paid fees of $9,125,735 to Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP during that firms last
fiscal year.
When the accompanying proxy is properly executed and returned, the shares it represents will
be voted in accordance with the directions indicated thereon or, if no direction is indicated, the
shares will be voted in favor of the election of the eleven nominees identified above. The
Corporation expects each nominee to be able to serve if elected, but if any nominee notifies the
Corporation before the annual meeting that he or she is unable to do so, then the proxies will be
voted for the remainder of those nominated and, as designated by the directors, may be voted (i)
for a substitute nominee or nominees, or (ii) to elect such lesser number to constitute the whole
Board as equals the number of nominees who are able to serve.
Board of Directors Meetings, Committees, Directors Compensation and Nominations
Board of Directors actions were taken in 2006 at the Annual Meeting of Directors that
followed the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and at three special meetings and upon two
occasions by directors unanimous written consent. Each director attended all meetings of the
Board and of the Committees of the Board on which he or she served except that William H. Gates,
III did not attend one of the special meetings of directors. Directors are encouraged but not
required to attend annual meetings of the Corporations shareholders. All directors of the
Corporation at the date of the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders attended that meeting.
3
The Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Audit Committee consists of Malcolm G. Chace,
Charlotte Guyman and Thomas S. Murphy. The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Murphy is an
audit committee financial expert as that term is used in Item 401(h) of Regulation S-K
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act. All current members of the Audit Committee meet the
criteria for independence set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act and in Section
303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual. The Audit Committee assists the Board
with oversight of a) the integrity of the Corporations financial statements, b) the Corporations
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and c) the qualifications and independence of the
Corporations independent public accountants and the Corporations internal audit function. The
Audit Committee meets periodically with the Corporations independent public accountants, Director
of Internal Audit and members of management and reviews the Corporations accounting policies and
internal controls. The Audit Committee also selects the firm of independent public accountants to
be retained by the Corporation to perform the audit. The Audit Committee held seven formal
meetings during 2006. The Board of Directors adopted an Audit Committee Charter on April 29, 2000
and subsequently amended and restated the Charter on February 17, 2004. The amended Audit
Committee Charter is available on Berkshires website at www.berkshirehathaway.com and may also be
obtained at no charge by written request to the attention of the Secretary of the Corporation at
1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131.
The Board of Directors has established a Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee and
adopted a charter to define and outline the responsibilities of its members. A copy of the
Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee Charter is available on Berkshires website at
www.berkshirehathaway.com and may also be obtained at no charge by written request to the attention
of the Secretary of the Corporation at 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131. The Governance,
Compensation and Nominating Committee consists of David S. Gottesman, Donald R. Keough and Walter
Scott, Jr., all of whom are independent directors in accordance with the New York Stock Exchange
director independence standards.
The role of the Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee is to assist the Board of
Directors by a) recommending governance guidelines applicable to Berkshire; b) identifying,
evaluating and recommending the nomination of Board members; c) setting the compensation of
Berkshires Chief Executive Officer and performing other compensation oversight; and d) assisting
the Board with other related tasks, as assigned from time to time. The Governance, Compensation
and Nominating Committee met once during 2006.
In identifying director nominees, the Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee looks
for individuals who have a meaningful interest in Berkshire stock, are shareholder-oriented and
possess business savvy. With respect to the selection of director nominees at the 2007 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders, the Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee recommends the Board
nominate ten of the eleven directors currently serving on the Board as well as Susan L. Decker.
Neither Berkshire nor its Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee has a formal
policy by which shareholders may recommend director candidates but the committee will consider
appropriate candidates recommended by shareholders. A shareholder wishing to submit such a
recommendation should send a letter to the Secretary of the Corporation at 1440 Kiewit Plaza,
Omaha, NE 68131. The mailing envelope must contain a clear notation that the enclosed letter is a
Director Nominee Recommendation. The letter must identify the author as a shareholder and
provide a brief summary of the candidates qualifications. At a minimum, candidates recommended
for election to the Board of Directors must meet the independence standards of the New York Stock
Exchange and the criteria used by the Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee.
Directors of the Corporation or its subsidiaries who are employees or spouses of employees do
not receive fees for attendance at directors meetings. A director who is not an employee or a
spouse of an employee receives a fee of $900 for each meeting attended in person and $300 for
participating in any meeting conducted by telephone. A director who serves as a member of the
Audit Committee receives a fee of $1,000 quarterly. Directors are reimbursed for their
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of directors or shareholders.
4
The following table provides compensation information for the year ended December 31,
2006 for each non-management member of the Corporations Board of Directors.
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Fees Earned |
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or Paid in Cash |
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Total |
Howard G. Buffett |
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$ |
3,000 |
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$ |
3,000 |
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Malcolm G. Chace |
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7,000 |
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7,000 |
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William H. Gates III |
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3,000 |
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3,000 |
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David S. Gottesman |
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3,000 |
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3,000 |
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Charlotte Guyman |
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7,000 |
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7,000 |
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Donald R. Keough |
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3,000 |
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3,000 |
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Thomas S. Murphy |
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7,000 |
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7,000 |
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Ronald L. Olson |
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3,000 |
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3,000 |
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Walter Scott, Jr. |
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3,000 |
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3,000 |
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Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
The
Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors currently consists of Walter
Scott, Jr., David S. Gottesman and Donald R. Keough. None of these individuals has at any time
been an officer or employee of the Company. During 2006, none of our executive officers served as a
member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity for which a member of our
Board of Directors or Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee served as an executive
officer.
Meetings of Non-Management and Independent Directors
A meeting of non-management directors was held following the annual meeting of the full Board
of Directors on May 8, 2006. Mr. Ronald L. Olson presided as ad hoc chair of the meeting. In
addition, following that meeting, a meeting of directors determined to be independent was held.
Mr. Walter Scott, Jr. presided as ad hoc chair of that meeting. A shareholder or other interested
party wishing to contact the non-management directors or independent directors, as applicable,
should send a letter to the Secretary of the Corporation at 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131. The
mailing envelope must contain a clear notation that the enclosed letter is to be forwarded to the
Corporations non-management directors or independent directors, as applicable.
Shareholder Communications with the Board of Directors
Shareholders who wish to communicate with the Board of Directors or a particular director may
send a letter to the Secretary of the Corporation at 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131. The
mailing envelope must contain a clear notation indicating that the enclosed letter is a
Shareholder-Board Communication or Shareholder-Director Communication. All such letters must
identify the author as a shareholder and clearly state whether the intended recipients are all
members of the Board or just certain specified individual directors. The Secretary will make
copies of all such letters and circulate them to the appropriate director or directors.
Corporate Governance Guidelines
The Board of Directors has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines to promote effective
governance of the Corporation. The Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on Berkshires
website at www.berkshirehathaway.com. A copy of the Corporate Governance Guidelines also may be
obtained at no charge by written request to the attention of the Secretary of the Corporation at
1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
The Corporation has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for all Berkshire directors,
officers and employees as well as directors, officers and employees of each of its subsidiaries.
The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on Berkshires website at
www.berkshirehathaway.com. A copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics may also be obtained
at no charge by written request to the attention of the Secretary of the Corporation at 1440 Kiewit
Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131.
Related Persons Transactions
The Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee (Committee) has recommended to
Berkshires Board of Directors that its Charter be expanded to include review, approval and
ratification of any Related Persons Transaction (Transaction) as defined in the regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the procedures which the Committee has adopted all
requests for review of proposed Transactions or ratification of Transactions will be referred to
the Chairman of the Committee. The full Committee will review any Transaction which the Chairman
concludes is material to the Company or which the Chairman is unable to review. Only Transactions
which the Committee or its Chairman finds to be in the best interests of Berkshire and its
stockholders will be approved or ratified. The Chairman will report all Transactions which he
reviews to the Committee annually for ratification.
Berkshire is not aware of any Transaction entered into since January 1, 2006, or currently
proposed, in which a Related Person had, or will have, a direct or indirect material interest.
5
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Berkshires program regarding compensation of its executive officers is different from most
public company programs. Mr. Buffetts compensation is reviewed annually by the Governance,
Compensation and Nominating Committee (Committee) of the Corporations Board of Directors. Due
to Mr. Buffetts desire that his compensation remain unchanged, the Committee has not proposed an
increase in Mr. Buffetts compensation since the Committee was created in 2004. Prior to that time
Mr. Buffett recommended to the Board of Directors the amount of his compensation. Mr. Buffetts
annual compensation has been $100,000 for over the last 25 years and he would not expect or desire
it to increase in the future.
The Committee has established a policy that: (i) neither the profitability of Berkshire
Hathaway nor the market value of its stock are to be considered in the compensation of any
executive officer; and (ii) all compensation paid to executive officers of Berkshire Hathaway be
deductible under Internal Revenue Code Section 162 (m). Under the Committees compensation policy,
Berkshire does not grant stock options to executive officers. The Committee has delegated to Mr.
Buffett the responsibility for setting the compensation of Berkshires two other executive
officers.
Like Mr. Buffett, Mr. Munger has been paid an annual salary of $100,000 for over the last 25
years. Mr. Buffett does not anticipate that Mr. Mungers compensation will be increased in the
future. Both Mr. Buffett and Mr. Munger will on occasion utilize Berkshire personnel and/or have
Berkshire pay for minor items such as postage or phone calls that are personal. Mr. Buffett and Mr.
Munger reimburse Berkshire for these costs by making an annual payment to Berkshire in an amount
that is equal to or greater than the costs that Berkshire has incurred on their behalf. During
2006, Mr. Buffett reimbursed Berkshire $50,000 and Mr. Munger reimbursed Berkshire $5,500. Mr.
Buffett and Mr. Munger do not use Company cars or belong to clubs to which the Company pays dues.
It should also be noted that neither Mr. Buffett nor Mr. Munger utilizes corporate-owned aircraft
for personal use. Each of them is personally a fractional NetJets owner, paying standard rates,
and they use Berkshire owned aircraft for business purposes only.
Factors considered by Mr. Buffett in setting Mr. Hamburgs salary are typically subjective,
such as his perception of Mr. Hamburgs performance and any changes in functional responsibility.
Mr. Buffett also sets the compensation for each of the CEOs of Berkshires significant operating
businesses. He utilizes several different incentive arrangements, with their terms dependent on
such elements as the economic potential or capital intensity of the business. The incentives can
be large and are always tied to the operating results for which a CEO has authority. These
incentives are never related to measures over which the CEO has no control.
The following table discloses the compensation received for the three years ended December 31,
2006 by the Corporations Chief Executive Officer and its other executive officers.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
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All |
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Name and |
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Annual Compensation |
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Other |
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Total |
Principal Position |
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Year |
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Salary |
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Bonus |
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Compensation |
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Compensation |
Warren E. Buffett |
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2006 |
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$ |
100,000 |
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$ |
114,250 |
(2) |
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$ |
214,250 |
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Chief Executive Officer/ |
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2005 |
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100,000 |
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209,000 |
(2) |
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|
309,000 |
|
Chairman of the Board |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
211,000 |
(2) |
|
|
311,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marc D. Hamburg |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
662,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,000 |
(3) |
|
|
673,500 |
|
Vice President/Chief |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
612,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39,000 |
(3) |
|
|
651,500 |
|
Financial Officer |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
562,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38,000 |
(3) |
|
|
600,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles T. Munger (1) |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
Vice Chairman of the Board |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Mr. Munger is compensated by a Berkshire subsidiary. |
|
(2) |
|
Represents the value of directors fees received by Mr. Buffett in cash or deferred
phantom equity interests from certain non-subsidiary companies in which Berkshire has
significant investments. |
|
(3) |
|
Represents contributions to a subsidiarys defined contribution plan in which Mr.
Hamburg participates and directors fees received by Mr. Hamburg from a Berkshire affiliate
during 2004 and 2005. |
Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee Report
We have reviewed and discussed with management certain Compensation Discussion and Analysis
provisions to be included in the Companys 2007 Shareholder Meeting Schedule 14A Proxy Statement,
filed Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Proxy). Based on the
review and discussion referred to above, we recommend that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis
referred to above be included in the Companys Proxy. Submitted by the members of the Governance,
Compensation and Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walter Scott, Jr., Chairman
|
|
Donald R. Keough |
|
|
David S. Gottesman |
|
|
6
Independent Public Accountants
Deloitte & Touche LLP (Deloitte) served as the Corporations principal independent public
accountants for 2006. Representatives from that firm will be present at the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders, will be given the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and will be
available to respond to any appropriate questions.
The following table shows the fees paid or accrued for audit services and fees paid for
audit-related, tax and all other services rendered by Deloitte for each of the last two years (in
millions):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Audit Fees (a) |
|
$ |
21.6 |
|
|
$ |
18.4 |
|
Audit-Related Fees (b) |
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
0.9 |
|
Tax Fees (c) |
|
|
1.8 |
|
|
|
2.5 |
|
All Other Fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
24.9 |
|
|
$ |
21.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
Audit fees include fees for the audit of the Corporations consolidated financial
statements and interim reviews of the Corporations quarterly financial statements, audit
services provided in connection with required statutory audits of many of the Corporations
insurance subsidiaries and certain of its non-insurance subsidiaries and comfort letters,
consents and other services related to SEC matters. |
|
(b) |
|
Audit-related fees primarily include fees for certain audits of subsidiaries not required for
purposes of Deloittes audit of the Corporations consolidated financial statements or for any
other statutory or regulatory requirements, audits of certain subsidiary employee benefit
plans and consultations on various accounting and reporting matters. |
|
(c) |
|
Tax fees include fees for services relating to tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice.
These services include assistance regarding federal, state and international tax compliance,
tax return preparation and tax audits. |
The services performed by Deloitte in connection with engagements subsequent to May 5,
2003, were pre-approved in accordance with the pre-approval policy adopted by the Audit Committee
on May 5, 2003. The pre-approval policy is included herein as Exhibit A.
Report of the Audit Committee
February 26, 2007
To the Board of Directors of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
We have reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements of the Corporation and
its subsidiaries to be set forth in the Corporations 2006 Annual Report to Shareholders and at
Item 8 of the Corporations Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 with
management of the Corporation and Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants for the
Corporation.
We have discussed with Deloitte & Touche LLP the matters required to be discussed by Statement
on Auditing Standards No. 61, Communication with Audit Committees, Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 99, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit and Securities and
Exchange Commission rules regarding auditor independence discussed in Final SEC Releases Nos.
33-8183 and 33-8183a.
We have received the written disclosures and the letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP required by
Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees and
have discussed with Deloitte & Touche LLP its independence from the Corporation.
Based on the review and discussions with management of the Corporation and Deloitte & Touche
LLP referred to above, we recommend to the Board of Directors that the Corporation publish the
consolidated financial statements of the Corporation and subsidiaries for the year ended December
31, 2006 in the Corporations Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and
in the Corporations 2006 Annual Report to Shareholders.
It is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the
Corporations financial statements are complete and accurate and in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles; that is the responsibility of management and the Corporations
independent public accountants. In giving its recommendation to the Board of Directors, the Audit
Committee has relied on (i) managements representation that such financial statements have been
prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles and (ii) the reports of the Corporations independent public accountants with respect to
such financial statements.
Submitted by the members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
Thomas S. Murphy, Chairman
Malcolm G. Chace
Charlotte Guyman
7
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
Warren E. Buffett, whose address is 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131, is a nominee for
director and the only person known to the Corporation to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of
the Corporations Class A or Class B Stock. Beneficial ownership of the Corporations Class A and
Class B Stock on February 28, 2007 by Mr. Buffett and by any other executive officers and directors
of the Corporation who own shares is shown in the following table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage |
|
Percentage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage |
|
of Aggregate |
|
of Aggregate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
of Outstanding |
|
Voting Power |
|
Economic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares |
|
Stock of |
|
of Class A |
|
Interest |
|
|
Title of Class |
|
Beneficially |
|
Respective |
|
and |
|
of Class A |
Name |
|
of Stock |
|
Owned (1) |
|
Class (1) |
|
Class B (1) |
|
and Class B (1) |
Warren E. Buffett |
|
Class A |
|
|
373,322 |
(2) |
|
|
33.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
3,139,997 |
(2) |
|
|
24.4 |
|
|
|
33.0 |
(3) |
|
|
31.0 |
|
Howard G. Buffett |
|
Class A |
|
|
1,406 |
(4) |
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
11,497 |
(4) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
Malcolm G. Chace |
|
Class A |
|
|
989 |
(5) |
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
60 |
(5) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
Susan L. Decker |
|
Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
10 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
William H. Gates III |
|
Class A |
|
|
4,350 |
(6) |
|
|
0.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
3.9 |
|
|
|
0.6 |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
David S. Gottesman |
|
Class A |
|
|
17,073 |
(7) |
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
39,912 |
(7) |
|
|
0.3 |
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
1.2 |
|
Charlotte Guyman |
|
Class A |
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
Donald R. Keough |
|
Class A |
|
|
70 |
(8) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
Charles T. Munger |
|
Class A |
|
|
15,561 |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
Thomas S. Murphy |
|
Class A |
|
|
1,137 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Ronald L. Olson |
|
Class A |
|
|
263 |
(9) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
300 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
Walter Scott, Jr. |
|
Class A |
|
|
100 |
(10) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
* |
|
Directors and
executive officers as a group |
|
Class A |
|
|
414,371 |
|
|
|
37.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B |
|
|
3,691,810 |
|
|
|
28.7 |
|
|
|
36.7 |
|
|
|
34.8 |
|
|
|
|
* |
|
less than 0.1%. |
|
(1) |
|
Beneficial owners exercise both sole voting and sole investment power unless
otherwise stated. Each share of Class A Stock is convertible into thirty shares of Class B
Stock at the option of the shareholder. As a result, pursuant to Rule 13d-3(d)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a shareholder is deemed to have beneficial ownership of the
shares of Class B Stock which such shareholder may acquire upon conversion of the Class A
Stock. In order to avoid overstatement, the amount of Class B Stock beneficially owned does
not take into account such shares of Class B Stock which may be acquired upon conversion (an
amount which is equal to 30 times the number of shares of Class A Stock held by a
shareholder). The percentage of outstanding Class B Stock is based on the total number of
shares of Class B Stock outstanding as of March 6, 2007 and does not take into account shares
of Class B Stock which may be issued upon conversion of Class A Stock. |
|
(2) |
|
Includes 350,000 Class A shares and 3,139,820 Class B shares owned directly and
beneficially by Warren E. Buffett, and 23,322 Class A shares and 177 Class B shares owned by
the estate of Susan T. Buffett of which Mr. Buffett is the executor but with respect to which
Mr. Buffett disclaims any beneficial interest. |
|
(3) |
|
Mr. Buffett has entered into a voting agreement with Berkshire providing that,
should the combined voting power of Berkshire shares as to which Mr. Buffett has or shares
voting and investment power exceed 49.9% of Berkshires total voting power, he will vote those
shares in excess of that percentage proportionately with votes of the other Berkshire
shareholders. |
|
(4) |
|
Includes 1,396 Class A shares and 11,448 Class B shares held by a private foundation
and for which Mr. Buffett possesses voting and investment power but with respect to which Mr.
Buffett disclaims any beneficial interest. |
|
(5) |
|
Includes 686 Class A shares and 28 Class B shares held by various trusts and
partnerships of which Mr. Chace is a trustee or a limited partner and possesses shared voting
and investment power. Does not include 54 Class A shares owned by Mr. Chaces wife. |
|
(6) |
|
Includes 4,050 shares held by a single-member limited liability company of which Mr.
Gates is the sole member and 500,000 Class B shares owned by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation Trust of which Mr. Gates and his wife are co-trustees but with respect to which Mr.
and Mrs. Gates disclaim any beneficial interest. |
|
(7) |
|
Includes 10,683 Class A shares and 38,703 Class B shares as to which Mr. Gottesman
or his wife has shared voting power and 9,980 Class A shares and 39,064 Class B shares as to
which Mr. Gottesman or his wife has shared investment power. Mr. Gottesman has a pecuniary
interest in 10,022 Class A shares included herein. |
|
(8) |
|
Does not include 8 Class A shares owned by Mr. Keoughs wife. |
|
(9) |
|
Includes 158 Class A shares held by three trusts for which Mr. Olson is sole trustee
but with respect to which Mr. Olson disclaims any beneficial interest. |
|
(10) |
|
Does not include 10 Class A shares owned by Mr. Scotts wife. |
8
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Corporations officers and
directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of the Corporations
equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange. Officers, directors and greater than
ten-percent shareholders are required by SEC regulation to furnish the Corporation with copies of
all Section 16(a) forms they file.
Based solely on its review of the copies of such forms received by it, and written
representations from certain reporting persons that no Section 16(a) forms were required for those
persons, the Corporation believes that during 2006 all filing requirements applicable to its
officers, directors, and greater than ten-percent shareholders were complied with.
2. SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL
Judith Porter, 161 Whitemarsh Road, Ardmore, PA 19003, owns 10 shares of Class B Common Stock
and has given notice that a representative of hers intends to present for action at the meeting the
following proposal.
Resolved that Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shall not invest in the securities of any foreign
corporation or subsidiary thereof that engages in activities that would be prohibited for U.S
corporations by Executive order of the President of the United States.
Discussion: On November 3, 1997 President William J. Clinton issued Executive Order 13067
which imposed a trade embargo prohibiting American businesses from operating in the Sudan. This
action was taken after finding that the policies and actions of the Government of Sudan, including
continued support for international terrorism, ongoing efforts to destabilize neighboring
governments, and the prevalence of human rights violations, including slavery and the denial of
religious freedom, constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and
foreign policy of the United States.
On March 29, 2005, the United Nations Security Council issued Resolution 1591 and most recently
Resolution 1672 on April 25, 2006, condemning the continued violations of human rights and
international humanitarian law in Sudans Darfur region and, in particular, the continuation of
violence against civilians and sexual violence against women and girls.
In response to the Resolutions, on April 27, 2006, President George W. Bush issued a new Executive
Order expanding Executive Order No. 13067.
While it is true that American companies can not do business in the Sudan, Americans can invest in
Asian and European companies that do business in the Sudan. For example, PetroChina Ltd., is a
subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the dominant international player in
Sudans oil sector.
The above resolution would prohibit Berkshire Hathaway Inc. from holding securities such as
PetroChina Ltd. which is a subsidiary of a corporation whose economic activities have been declared
by the President to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and
foreign policy of the United States.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FAVORS A VOTE AGAINST THE PROPOSAL FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
The proposal objects to Berkshires investment in PetroChina because of the atrocities that
are occurring in Sudan. Berkshire agrees that conditions in that country are deplorable and
sympathizes with the proposers desire to remedy them. We believe, however, that she is wrong in
both her analysis of PetroChinas connection to these conditions and her belief that our divesting
our PetroChina holdings would in any way have a beneficial effect on Sudanese behavior.
To begin with, we have seen no records, including the various materials we have received from
pro-divestment groups, that indicate PetroChina has operations in Sudan. The controlling
shareholder of PetroChina, CNPC, does do business in Sudan. CNPC is 100% owned by the Chinese
government, and its activities may logically be attributed to the government of China itself. But
the Chinese governments activities can neither be attributed to PetroChina nor the other major
Chinese companies the government controls (also through 100%-owned entities), such as China Mobile,
China Life and China Telecom. Subsidiaries have no ability to control the policies of their
parent.
To understand that truth, simply look at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Both are creations of
the U.S. Government and indeed are commonly labeled Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE). Five
directors of each company are appointed by the President, and both are overseen by a special
governmental entity, OFHEO.
9
Does the United States government shape and in certain matters control the activities of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Unquestionably. Are Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae responsible for the
activities of the U.S. government? Absolutely not.
Furthermore, if a shareholder such as Berkshire disagrees with the activities of an investee
and we emphasize again that PetroChina, to our knowledge, has no operations in Sudan is
divesting the proper course for Berkshire? We note that the proposer of this resolution who
strongly disagrees with Berkshires decision to hold shares of PetroChina has elected to retain
her shares in Berkshire rather than to divest them. We agree with her decision not to divest.
Neither do we believe that Berkshire should automatically divest shares of an investee because it
disagrees with a specific activity of that investee.
Finally, in the proposition that China should withdraw its investment from Sudan, there is
the be careful what you wish for problem. As we understand the matter, the Chinese government,
through its 100% ownership of CNPC, owns a 40% interest in a Sudan venture whose primary assets
consist of oil in the ground as well as fixed assets that transport and refine the oil. These are
not assets that can be taken out of Sudan. In other words, China cannot take its share of the oil,
the refinery or the pipeline and go home.
Rather, the only feasible divestment plan for CNPC would be to sell its 40% interest in the
venture, almost certainly at a bargain price and almost certainly to the Sudanese government.
After such a transaction, the Sudanese government would be better off financially, with its oil
revenue substantially increased. Since oil is a fungible product, Sudanese output would be sold in
world markets just as oil from Iraq was sold under Saddam Hussein, and just as oil is now sold by
Iran. Proponents of the Chinese governments divesting should ask the most important question in
economics, And then what?
We admire the motives of the proposer, but we do not agree with the logic of her proposal.
For that reason we recommend you vote no.
3. OTHER MATTERS
As of the date of this statement your management knows of no business to be presented to the
meeting that is not referred to in the accompanying notice other than the approval of the minutes
of the last Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which action will not be construed as approval or
disapproval of any of the matters referred to in such minutes. As to other business that may
properly come before the meeting, it is intended that proxies properly executed and returned will
be voted in respect thereof at the discretion of the person voting the proxies in accordance with
his or her best judgment, including upon any shareholder proposal about which the Corporation did
not receive timely notice.
Annual Report
The Annual Report to the Shareholders for 2006 accompanies this proxy statement, but is not
deemed a part of the proxy soliciting material.
A copy of the 2006 Form 10-K report as required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, excluding exhibits, will be mailed to shareholders without charge upon written request
to: Forrest N. Krutter, Secretary, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE 68131.
Such request must set forth a good-faith representation that the requesting party was either a
holder of record or a beneficial owner of Class A or Class B Stock of the Corporation on March 6,
2007. Exhibits to the Form 10-K will be mailed upon similar request and payment of specified fees.
The 2006 Form 10-K is also available through the Securities and Exchange Commissions World Wide
Web site (www.sec.gov).
Proposals of Shareholders
Any shareholder proposal intended to be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement for
presentation at the 2008 Annual Meeting must be received by the Corporation by November 20, 2007.
The proposal must be in accordance with the provisions of Rule 14a-8 promulgated by the Securities
and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It is suggested the proposal be
submitted by certified mail return receipt requested. Shareholders who intend to present a
proposal at the 2008 Annual Meeting without including such proposal in the Corporations proxy
statement must provide the Corporation notice of such proposal no later than February 1, 2008. The
Corporation reserves the right to reject, rule out of order, or take other appropriate action with
respect to any proposal that does not comply with these and other applicable requirements.
|
|
|
|
|
By order of the Board of Directors |
|
Omaha, Nebraska
|
|
FORREST N. KRUTTER, Secretary |
March 19, 2007 |
|
|
10
EXHIBIT A
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Audit Committee
Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy
As Adopted on May 5, 2003
I. Statement of Principles
Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible
for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor. As part of
this responsibility, the Audit Committee is required to pre-approve the audit and non-audit
services performed by the independent auditor in order to assure that they do not impair the
auditors independence from the Company.
As set forth in this Policy, unless a type of service has received general pre-approval, it will
require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee if it is to be provided by the independent
auditor. Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels or budgeted amounts will also
require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.
The appendix to this Policy describe the Audit, Audit-Related, Tax and All Other services that have
the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The term of any general pre-approval is 12 months
from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee considers a different period and states
otherwise. The Audit Committee will annually review and pre-approve the services that may be
provided by the independent auditor without obtaining specific pre-approval from the Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee will revise the list of general pre-approved services from time to
time, based on subsequent determinations.
The purpose of this Policy is to set forth the procedures by which the Audit Committee intends to
fulfill its responsibilities. It does not delegate the Audit Committees responsibilities to
pre-approve services performed by the independent auditor to management.
The independent auditor has reviewed this Policy and believes that implementation of the policy
will not adversely affect the auditors independence.
II. Delegation
The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to one or more of its members. The member
to whom such authority is delegated must report, for informational purposes only, any pre-approval
decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
III. Audit Services
The annual Audit services engagement terms and fees will be subject to the specific pre-approval of
the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will approve, if necessary, any changes in terms,
conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope, Company structure or other items.
In addition to the annual Audit services engagement approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit
Committee may grant general pre-approval to other Audit services, which are those services that
only the independent auditor reasonably can provide. The Audit Committee has pre-approved the
Audit services in Appendix A. All other Audit services not listed in Appendix A must be
specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
IV. Audit-Related Services
Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the
performance of the audit or review of the Companys financial statements or that are traditionally
performed by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee believes that the provision of
Audit-related services does not impair the independence of the auditor, and has pre-approved
Audit-related services in Appendix A. All other Audit-related services not listed in Appendix A
must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
V. Tax Services
The Audit Committee believes that the independent auditor can provide Tax services to the Company
such as tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice without impairing the auditors independence.
However, the Audit Committee will not permit the retention of the independent auditor in connection
with a transaction initially recommended by the independent auditor, the purpose of which may be
tax avoidance
11
and the tax treatment of which may not be supported in the Internal Revenue Code and related
regulations. The Audit Committee has pre-approved the Tax services in Appendix A. All Tax services
involving large and complex transactions not listed in Appendix A must be specifically pre-approved
by the Audit Committee.
VI. All Other Services
All Other permissible services not listed in Appendix A must be specifically pre-approved by the
Audit Committee.
A list of the SECs prohibited non-audit services is included in Appendix A. The SECs rules and
relevant guidance should be consulted to determine the precise definitions of these services and
the applicability of exceptions to certain of the prohibitions.
VII. Pre-Approval Fee Levels
Pre-approval fee levels for all services to be provided by the independent auditor will be
established annually by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding these levels or
amounts will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.
VIII. Procedures
Requests or applications to provide services that require specific approval by the Audit Committee
will be submitted to the Audit Committee by both the independent auditor and the Chief Financial
Officer, and must include a joint statement as to whether, in their view, the request or
application is consistent with the SECs rules on auditor independence.
All requests or applications for services to be provided by the independent auditor that do not
require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Chief Financial Officer
and must include a detailed description of the services to be rendered. The Chief Financial
Officer will determine whether such services are included within the list of services that have
received the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will be informed on
a timely basis of any such services rendered by the independent auditor.
12
Appendix A
Pre-Approved Audit Services
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Statutory audits or financial audits for subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company |
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Services associated with SEC registration statements, periodic reports and other
documents filed with the SEC or other documents issued in connection with securities
offerings (e.g., comfort letters, consents), and assistance in responding to SEC comment
letters |
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Consultations by the Companys management as to the accounting or disclosure
treatment of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of final or
proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, FASB, or other regulatory or
standard setting bodies (Note: Under SEC rules, some consultations may be audit-related
services rather than audit services) |
Pre-Approved Audit-Related Services
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Due diligence services pertaining to potential business acquisitions/dispositions |
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Financial statement audits of employee benefit plans |
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Agreed-upon or expanded audit procedures related to accounting and/or billing
records required to respond to or comply with financial, accounting or regulatory reporting
matters |
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Internal control reviews and assistance with internal control reporting
requirements |
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Consultations by the Companys management as to the accounting or disclosure
treatment of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of final or
proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, FASB, or other regulatory or
standard-setting bodies (Note: Under SEC rules, some consultations may be audit services
rather than audit-related services) |
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Attest services not required by statute or regulation |
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Statutory, subsidiary or equity investee audits incremental to the audit of the
consolidated financial statements |
Pre-Approved Tax Services
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U.S. federal, state and local tax planning and advice |
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U.S. federal, state and local tax compliance |
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International tax planning and advice |
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International tax compliance
· Review of federal, state, local and international income, franchise, and other tax returns |
Prohibited Non-Audit Services
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Bookkeeping or other services related to the accounting records or financial statements |
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Financial information systems design and implementation |
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Appraisal or valuation services, fairness opinions or contribution-in-kind reports |
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Actuarial services |
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Internal audit outsourcing |
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Management functions |
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Human Resource functions |
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Broker or dealer, investment adviser or investment banking services |
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Legal services |
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Expert services |
13
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 5, 2007
This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
The undersigned hereby appoints Marc D. Hamburg and Walter Scott,
Jr., or either of them, as proxies, with power of substitution to
each proxy and substitute, to vote the Class A Common Stock (CLA)
and Class B Common Stock (CLB) of the undersigned at the 2007
Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and at
any adjournment thereof, as indicated on the reverse hereof on the
proposal for Election of Directors and as said proxies may
determine in the exercise of their best judgment on any other
matters which may properly come before the meeting.
IF
PROPERLY EXECUTED AND RETURNED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED OR, IF NOT SPECIFIED, WILL BE VOTED FOR ELECTING ALL NOMINEES.
PLEASE SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE AND MAIL PROMPTLY
IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE
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SEE REVERSE
SIDE
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SEE REVERSE
SIDE |
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x
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Please mark
votes as in
this example.
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The Board Recommends a Vote For Item 1.
1. Election of Directors
Nominees: Warren E. Buffett, Charles T. Munger, Howard
G. Buffett, Susan L. Decker, William H.Gates III, David S.
Gottesman, Charlotte Guyman, Donald R. Keough, Thomas
S. Murphy, Ronald L.Olson and Walter Scott, Jr.
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MARK HERE
FOR ADDRESS
CHANGE AND
NOTE AT LEFT
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o
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o
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FOR
ALL
NOMINEES
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o
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WITHHELD
FROM ALL
NOMINEES |
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Please sign exactly as your name
appears. If acting as attorney, executor, trustee or in
representative capacity, sign name and title.
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o
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For, except vote withheld from the above nominee(s). |
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Signature: |
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Date |
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Signature: |
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Date |
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The Board Recommends a Vote Against Item 2.
2. Shareholder Proposal:
To approve the shareholder
proposal with respect to investments
in certain foreign corporations.
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o
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FOR
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o
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AGAINST
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o
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ABSTAIN |