Berkshire Hathaway owns insurance, railway, energy, manufacturing and retail businesses. Its consumer names include GEICO and See’s Candies.
The claim window has closedThe 2026 shopping windows have closed. Berkshire names 1 May 2027 as its next annual meeting date, but its meeting page has not published the next shopping terms or qualifying date.
What you get
Berkshire’s annual-meeting programme includes shareholder shopping at Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) and Borsheims jewellery store, plus discount shopping in the Omaha exhibit hall. The 2026 guide also gives shareholders 20% off books at the Bookworm stand. NFM and Borsheims publish no single discount rate in that guide.
What it takes
The published terms do not state a minimum shareholding.
Qualifying shares: Class A or Class B shares.
Before buyingA perk is a minor benefit of owning a share, not a reason to buy one. Share prices fall as well as rise, and dealing costs, spreads and tax can exceed a perk’s value. Read about the risks.
Holding through a broker
Nominee holders must provide proof of ownership.
For 2026, Berkshire accepted a bank or broker voting form, or a broker statement showing shares owned on the record date, with identification. We have not tested whether brokers supply these documents on request.
Previous claim process
Record-date ownership evidence and photo identification were required at Will Call.
- 1. Request the meeting credentialFor 2026, shareholders could return the credential order form accompanying the meeting notice.
- 2. Bring proof if collecting in OmahaHolders without mailed credentials collected them at Will Call in the CHI Health Center, with ownership proof and photo identification.
- 3. Use the venue and retailer rulesA meeting credential was mandatory at shareholder venues, including Friday’s exhibit-hall shopping. The guide separately described NFM online registration and Borsheims online, telephone and text shopping. Check the next retailer terms before assuming a remote purchase qualifies.
Dates
The published terms do not say how long you must hold the shares.
- Qualifying ownership date
The 2026 proxy required ownership at the close of business on this date.- Event date
- Valid from
- Use the benefit by
NFM’s window ran from 22 April to 5 May; Borsheims ran from 25 April to 10 May.
Practical notes
GEICO needs a separate check
GEICO’s New Jersey auto-insurance Sponsored Marketing Program lists Berkshire shareholders as eligible, subject to New Jersey underwriting guidelines. The page limits the programme to insurers it calls “named above” but names none, so it does not show which policies qualify. It does not establish a shareholder discount in other states.
Company story
Owners’ Day in Omaha
Berkshire calls its annual gathering Owners’ Day. The 2026 programme paired chief executive Greg Abel’s question sessions with an exhibit hall, Borsheims shopping events and NFM’s picnic. The retailers’ discount windows extended on either side of the meeting weekend.