Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B), the cross-industry conglomerate led by investing genius Warren Buffett, has long been a fascinating study in investment success. For those fortunate enough to have bought Berkshire stock early, the returns have been nothing short of remarkable.

Here's a look at how many shares you would own today if you had bought a single share at the company's IPO and eventually converted it into Class B shares, as Berkshire Class A owners can do any time.

The company manages two classes of stock: Class A (BRK-A) and Class B (BRK-B). The BRK-B shares were introduced in 1996 to provide an affordable entry point for smaller investors (but the lower-priced shares also come with fewer votes). Each Class A share is convertible into a larger number of Class B shares -- originally 30, but 1,500 stubs nowadays to account for the Class B security's 50-for-1 stock split in 2010.

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Source Fool.com