Berkshire Hathaway fourth-quarter profit rises 32 percent

[February 27, 2016]  (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Saturday said fourth-quarter profit rose 32 percent, helped by improved results in its insurance operations and higher gains from investments and derivatives.

Net income rose to $5.48 billion, or $3,333 per Class A share, from $4.16 billion, or $2,529 per share, a year earlier.

Quarterly operating profit rose 18 percent to $4.67 billion, or $2,843 per share, from $3.96 billion, or $2,412 per share.

Analysts on average had forecast operating profit of $2,814 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

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