Berkshire's net loss was equivalent to $29,754 per Class A share. Net income had been $28.1 billion, or $18,488 per Class A share, a year earlier.

Quarterly operating profit rose 39% to $9.28 billion, from $6.69 billion, or $4,424 per Class A share, a year earlier.

Berkshire also repurchased $1 billion of its own stock in the quarter, and has repurchased $4.2 billion this year.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jason Neely)