berkshire hathaway’s firstquarter operating earnings after taxes totaled 7 billion in the first quarter up less than 1 from the yearearlier period as the company scaled back the repurchase of its shares as the stock price rallied berkshire hathaway ticker brka brkb bought back 32 billion of stock in the first quarter down from 69 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 the company repurchased 27 billion of stock in 2021