Core Viewpoint - Berkshire Hathaway's Q2 profit declined by 4% year-on-year, primarily due to weak performance in its insurance business [1] Financial Performance - The company reported a net profit of $12.37 billion for Q2, down from $30.3 billion in the same period last year [1] - Earnings per Class A share were $8,601, compared to $21,122 a year earlier [1] - Operating profit, excluding certain investment gains, fell by 4% to $11.16 billion [1] Business Segment Analysis - The decline in insurance underwriting business offset growth in the railroad, energy, and manufacturing service retail sectors [1] - If currency fluctuations are excluded, operating profit would have exceeded the previous year's figures [1] Currency Impact - The depreciation of the dollar resulted in a reduction of $877 million in after-tax operating profit [1] - In the same quarter last year, currency changes contributed approximately $446 million in gains [1]