Apple vs Berkshire Hathaway: Business Model & Financial Comparison 2026
Apple · Technology / Consumer Electronics·Berkshire Hathaway · Financial Services / Insurance - Diversified
Financial Comparison
| Metric | AAPLApple | BRK-BBerkshire Hathaway |
|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $3.76T | $1.06T |
| Revenue (TTM) | $435.62B | $371.44B |
| Revenue Growth | 15.7% | -0.7% |
| Gross Margin | 47.3% | 26.1% |
| Operating Margin | 35.4% | 33.0% |
| Net Margin | 27.0% | 18.0% |
| Return on Equity | 152.0% | 9.8% |
| P/E (Trailing) | 32.4x | 15.8x |
| P/E (Forward) | 27.5x | 22.7x |
| Free Cash Flow | $106.31B | $36.80B |
| Cash | $66.91B | $373.31B |
| Total Debt | $90.51B | $135.37B |
Data sourced from Yahoo Finance. Green highlights indicate better performance for that metric. Use the interactive tool for real-time data.
Business Model Comparison
Apple
Apple stands as the world's most valuable company and leader in consumer electronics. Generating $435.62 billion in annual revenue (growing 15.7% year-over-year) and carrying a market capitalization of $3.83 trillion, the company has cemented its position as a foundational player in the global Consumer Electronics landscape. Under the leadership of Tim Cook, Apple continues to execute on a multi-year strategic vision that balances growth investme…
Full Apple analysis →Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stands as a leading company in Financial Services. Generating $371.44 billion in annual revenue (growing -0.7% year-over-year) and carrying a market capitalization of $1.08 trillion, the company has cemented its position as a foundational player in the global Insurance - Diversified landscape. Under the leadership of its leadership team, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. continues to execute on a multi-year strategic vision that bal…
Full Berkshire Hathaway analysis →SWOT Analysis Comparison
Strengths
Apple
- With a market capitalization of $3.83T, Apple is one of the largest companies in its sector, providing the scale advantages of brand recognition, supplier leverage, and capital access that smaller com
- Apple's gross margin of 47.3% is well above industry averages, reflecting pricing power, operational efficiency, or a high-value product mix. The operating margin of 35.4% demonstrates disciplined cos
- Revenue grew 15.7% year-over-year to $435.62B, indicating strong demand for Apple's products and services and outperformance relative to many industry peers.
Berkshire Hathaway
- With a market capitalization of $1.08T, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is one of the largest companies in its sector, providing the scale advantages of brand recognition, supplier leverage, and capital acces
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. maintains a gross margin of 26.1% and operating margin of 33.0%, demonstrating consistent operational execution and cost discipline in a competitive market.
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. generated $36.80B in free cash flow, providing financial flexibility to invest in growth initiatives, return capital to shareholders, or strengthen the balance sheet.
Weaknesses
Apple
- With a debt-to-equity ratio of 102.6, Apple carries significant debt relative to equity. While manageable given its cash flow, elevated leverage limits financial flexibility and increases vulnerabilit
- With 150,000 employees globally, Apple faces inherent challenges in agility, decision-making speed, and maintaining a consistent culture across geographies — advantages that smaller, nimbler competito
- iPhone revenue still represents 52% of total sales — over-reliance on a single product
Berkshire Hathaway
- Year-over-year revenue declined 0.7%, raising questions about demand for Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s core offerings and requiring management to articulate a credible recovery path.
Opportunities
Apple
- The rapid advancement of generative AI and large language models presents Apple with opportunities to automate operations, enhance products, and develop new AI-native services. Companies in Technology
- Apple operates in the Consumer Electronics segment of the broader Technology sector, which represents a $5.0 trillion by 2027 (IDC Global Technology Market). Even modest share gains in this environmen
- Emerging markets — particularly India (1.4B people, rapidly growing middle class), Southeast Asia (700M people), and Sub-Saharan Africa — represent significant untapped addressable markets for Apple's
Berkshire Hathaway
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. operates in the Insurance - Diversified segment of the broader Financial Services sector, which represents a $26.5 trillion global financial services market by 2028. Even modes
- Emerging markets — particularly India (1.4B people, rapidly growing middle class), Southeast Asia (700M people), and Sub-Saharan Africa — represent significant untapped addressable markets for Berkshi
- With $373.31B in cash and strong free cash flow generation, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is well-positioned to pursue strategic acquisitions that expand its capabilities, customer base, or geographic reach
Threats
Apple
- Global economic slowdowns, inflation, or rising interest rates can reduce consumer and enterprise spending. Apple's revenue is not fully insulated from macroeconomic cycles, and a recession scenario c
- Increasing government regulation — particularly data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA), antitrust enforcement, and trade restrictions — poses compliance costs and potential restrictions on Apple's business mo
- The technology sector evolves at a pace where today's competitive advantages can erode quickly. New entrants with AI-native approaches, open-source alternatives, or disruptive business models could ch
Berkshire Hathaway
- Global economic slowdowns, inflation, or rising interest rates can reduce consumer and enterprise spending. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s revenue is not fully insulated from macroeconomic cycles, and a re
- Increasing government regulation — particularly data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA), antitrust enforcement, and trade restrictions — poses compliance costs and potential restrictions on Berkshire Hathaway
- Competition for skilled technology, engineering, and management talent remains intense. High employee turnover or inability to attract top talent could slow innovation and execution — particularly cri
Compare any 2–4 companies with live data
The interactive comparison tool lets you select any companies, see real-time metrics, and export a side-by-side report.
Open Comparison ToolApple vs Berkshire Hathaway: FAQ
- Is Apple bigger than Berkshire Hathaway?
- By market capitalization, Apple is larger at $3.76T vs Berkshire Hathaway's $1.06T.
- Which has better profit margins — Apple or Berkshire Hathaway?
- Apple has higher net profit margins (27.0%) compared to Berkshire Hathaway (18.0%). Gross and operating margins are compared in the table above.
- What sectors do Apple and Berkshire Hathaway operate in?
- Apple operates in the Technology sector (Consumer Electronics). Berkshire Hathaway operates in the Financial Services sector (Insurance - Diversified).
- How does Apple's revenue compare to Berkshire Hathaway's?
- Apple generates $435.62B in annual revenue (TTM) while Berkshire Hathaway generates $371.44B. Apple is the larger company by revenue as of 2026.