Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Competition

Berkshire Hathaway is where Warren Buffett, the world's third-richest man (behind Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and Warren's good buddy Bill Gates), spreads his risk by investing in a variety of industries, from insurance and utilities to apparel and food, and building materials to jewelry and furniture retailers. Its core insurance subsidiaries include GEICO, National Indemnity, and reinsurance giant General Re. The company's other largest holdings include Marmon Group, McLane Company, MidAmerican Energy, and Shaw Industries. Known as the Oracle of Omaha, Buffett holds more than 20% of Berkshire Hathaway, which owns a majority of more than 70 firms in all and has stakes in more than a dozen others.