Berkshire Consumer Unit Sales Dip 3.5% in Q3
Berkshire Hathaway's Consumer Products Group posted lower third-quarter sales and earnings, while Brooks Sports kept growing.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Consumer Goods
Live Poll
Do you think clothing and footwear brands are offering better value to shoppers lately?
Berkshire Hathaway's Consumer Products Group reported third-quarter sales down 3.5 percent to $3.5 billion. Brooks Sports revenues grew for the 13th consecutive quarter, with first-nine-months revenues up 12 percent.
Why it matters
The decline was driven largely by lower advanced manufacturing production tax credits at Duracell, which cut pre-tax earnings, while footwear and apparel earnings rose on higher gross margins that included tariff refunds. The results show how a single tax-credit line can shift the earnings picture of a diversified consumer products unit.
Third-quarter pre-tax earnings fell 29.2 percent to $412 million from $582 million a year earlier, and nine-month pre-tax profits reached $1.16 billion. Brooks Sports first-nine-months revenues grew 12 percent, though the stub does not break out the Fruit of the Loom or Duracell revenue contributions separately.
The players
Berkshire Hathaway
A diversified holding company led by Warren Buffett that owns the Consumer Products Group and its subsidiaries.
Duracell
A battery manufacturer owned by Berkshire Hathaway that recorded the advanced manufacturing production tax credits.
Brooks Sports
A running footwear and apparel company owned by Berkshire Hathaway whose revenues grew for 13 consecutive quarters.
The details
Sales fell mainly because of lower sales volumes, unfavorable sales mix and the exit of unprofitable Fruit of the Loom lines, partly offset by higher average selling prices. Duracell recorded eligible refundable advanced manufacturing production tax credits for 2023, 2024 and the first nine months of 2025 in the third quarter of 2025.
Timeline
The Duracell tax credit eligibility period began with the 2023 tax year.
Duracell recorded the eligible credits in the third quarter of 2025.
Brooks reported its 13th consecutive quarter of sales growth on October 28.
Market Landscape
The shift shows how federal manufacturing incentives can move the reported earnings of consumer goods makers that operate domestic production lines. Brooks Sports' continued growth alongside a declining Fruit of the Loom segment illustrates how diversified consumer conglomerates balance brand strength against legacy apparel exits.
Shoppers may not see direct price changes from these results, since the segment decline reflects tax credits and sales mix rather than retail pricing. The stub does not indicate changes to product availability for Duracell batteries or Brooks footwear.
The takeaway
Diversified consumer companies can post weaker headline numbers when one-time or policy-driven credits change, so looking past segment totals to the drivers is useful. Brooks Sports' 13-quarter growth run shows that brand-level performance can diverge from the group total.
Further reading
For broader context on how brands are managing costs and pricing, see Consumer Goods coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sgbonline.
Live Poll
Do you think clothing and footwear brands are offering better value to shoppers lately?
