Shares of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) have risen over 990% since the turn of the century. That trounces the total return, which assumes dividend reinvestment, of the S&P 500 index, which was 480% over the same span. After such a long and impressive streak of outperformance does it make any sense at all to buy Berkshire Hathaway stock? The answer isn't really yes or no. Here are some things to consider before making the final call.

Most companies you examine will operate in a fairly narrow line of business or in just one sector. Some will be conglomerates and operate in a few lines of business or sectors. Berkshire Hathaway is like a conglomerate on steroids; it operates in the finance, energy, utility, transportation, retail, construction, and manufacturing sectors, among others. Believe it or not, that's not a complete list! And within some sectors it owns more than one business.

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Source Fool.com