Yabba Dabba Do Berkshire Hathaway News Roundup Fred Flintstone's Take

• PacifiCorp faces potential reduction in wildfire damages after court ruling.
• Berkshire Hathaway Energy confronts a real estate commissions class action.
• Greg Abel takes center stage at Berkshire's annual meeting, with Buffett present.
• New book edition covers Berkshire's transition to Abel's leadership.

PacifiCorp's Legal Tussle A Prehistoric Perspective

Yabba Dabba Doo folks, Fred Flintstone here, reporting live from Bedrock, or well, as close as I can get to modern finance. Seems PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of our pal Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, is in a bit of a pickle with some wildfire damages. Apparently, a court in Oregon is reconsidering how much they might owe after a windstorm caused a ruckus. Now, I'm no lawyer, but it sounds like they're trying to figure out if everyone who got hit by those fires needs to prove PacifiCorp was specifically at fault for their damage. If they win this, it could save them a whole pile of clams...er, I mean, dollars. But those poor families probably won't be celebrating with bronto-ribs anytime soon. Wilmaaaaa, I need a ruling

Real Estate Rumble Another Berkshire Battle

It never rains, it pours, eh folks. Now Berkshire Hathaway Energy is facing a class action suit about real estate commissions. Seems they're accused of trying to inflate those pesky fees, even though another part of Berkshire already settled a similar case. A judge is saying, "Hold your horses, BHE, you're not off the hook yet." This could mean more legal wrangling and, of course, more expense. I heard that Warren Buffet and Berkshire already settled a similar case, see the article Oil Market Rollercoaster Trump's Iran Stance Sparks Volatility for similar situations. It looks like Berkshire is going to need Barney Rubble on the legal team to get through this. Wilmaaaaa, my head hurts.

Passing the Slate The Next Chapter at Berkshire

Looks like our friend Warren Buffett is ready to let someone else take the reins at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. That's right, Greg Abel is stepping up to the plate to answer questions from shareholders. Don't worry, Buffett will still be around, probably keeping a close eye on things. It's like when I let Barney drive the car but made sure I had a foot hovering over the brake. They're even including other executives in the Q & A, which is a first. It's a whole new era for Berkshire, folks. As Fred would say: "I think, therefore I am. I think." Wonder if Abel will get a bronto-burger as a reward.

Buffett's Brains A New Book on Berkshire

If you want to understand how Berkshire Hathaway works, there's a new book coming out that digs into the company from the perspective of the folks running its subsidiaries. This new edition also tackles the transition from Buffett to Abel, which should be mighty interesting. Plus, it looks at the insurance side of things, which is a big deal for Berkshire. Sounds like a good read if you're into that sort of thing. Me, I prefer reading the sports pages... or maybe a comic book. But if knowing Berkshire is important, I better start reading. Wilmaaaaa, get me that book

Buffett's Wisdom For The Ages

Seems like some of Buffett's old advice is still ringing true. He and Charlie Munger talked about how Berkshire makes money by understanding the value of "float" and constantly improving the company's earning power. It's not about being a genius, they said, but about avoiding the obvious mistakes. "D'oh!" – wait, that's not me. Point is, smart decisions are key, and Berkshire has been making them for years. Maybe I should take some notes. I'm thinking of becoming an investor myself. I am one big hunk of man but I am also very smart. If you don't believe me you can ask me.

Market Musings and Money Matters

Berkshire's stock prices are up, market capitalization is HUGE and they have a mountain of cash, even if it is down a tad from last year. They even started buying back their own stock. As for holdings, they've got their fingers in all sorts of pies, from banks to tech to energy. Me? I'm still trying to figure out how to get a raise from Mr. Slate. But hey, maybe if I invest wisely, I can retire to a nice spot in the tar pits. The problem is I like to gamble and I always loose. Maybe Barney can teach me a thing or two about financial planning. Wilmaaaaa