Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. reported that sales at its Consumer Products Group declined 3.0 percent in 2024, to $14.4 billion, largely attributable to lower sales volumes at Fruit of the Loom, Jazwares and Duracell. These declines were partially offset by increases at Brooks Sports, Forest River and Richline, attributable to combinations of higher volumes, changes in sales mix and/or higher prices driven by higher materials and input costs.
Berkshire Hathaway’s Consumer Products Group includes Forest River leisure vehicles, several apparel and footwear operations, including Fruit of the Loom, Garan, H.H. Brown Shoe Group, and Brooks Sports, and Duracell, the manufacturer of batteries. It also includes toy company Jazwares, jewelry products by Richline, and custom picture framing products from Larson-Juhl. Fruit of the Loom comprises Vanity Fair Lingerie, Russell Athletic, and Jerzees in the U.S. and Canada, as well as Spalding.
Pre-tax earnings of the company’s Consumer Products Group increased 2.8 percent in 2025 to $1.79 billion from $1.7 billion a year ago; however, excluding the impact of the production credits related to its Duracell business, pre-tax earnings of the Consumer Products Group declined “significantly” in 2025 compared to 2024.
Berkshire Hathaway reported that in the third quarter of 2025, Duracell determined certain of its U.S.-manufactured battery product components were eligible for refundable advanced manufacturing production income tax credits beginning in the 2023 tax year. In 2025, Duracell recorded eligible credits for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 periods. Under U.S. GAAP, these credits are reflected in pre-tax earnings, not as income tax expense.
The decline before the production credits reflected lower earnings from Jazwares, due to various factors, including lower sales volumes and increased costs from supply chain disruptions; Forest River, primarily attributable to lower gross margins from sales mix changes; and Duracell and Garan, which experienced lower gross margins and higher selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues. These declines were partially offset by higher earnings from Brooks Sports attributable to increased sales and gross margins, partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses.
Subtracting nine-month results from full-year results shows sales in the fourth quarter for the Consumer Products Group were about flat, slipping 0.2 percent to $3.82 billion from $3.83 billion a year ago. Pre-tax earnings improved 35.6 percent to $583 million from $430 million.
Brooks Sports separately reported sales revenues rose 16 percent in 2025, with 13 percent growth in North America and accelerating growth internationally. Sales advanced 22 percent in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and 66 percent in APLA (Asia Pacific and Latin America), led by a 245 percent surge in China.
Image courtesy Brooks Running / Berkshire Hathaway
