This Canadian Company Is Quietly Building a Berkshire-Like Model. Is the Stock a Buy Now?

Source The Motley Fool

Key Points

  • Brookfield Corporation is becoming a capital owner, not just a manager.

  • The company’s earnings quality is improving.

  • Complexity may be masking the investment opportunity.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Brookfield Corporation ›

Most investors see Brookfield Corporation (NYSE: BN) as an asset manager. That's not wrong, but it misses what the business is becoming.

Brookfield Corporation isn't just managing capital anymore. It's building a system that can generate, control, and reinvest capital within its own ecosystem -- a model that increasingly resembles how Berkshire Hathaway compounds wealth over time.

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That shift may look subtle today. But over time, it could create enormous wealth for shareholders.

Two office workers are discussing a work paper.

Image source: Getty Images.

Brookfield Corporation controls capital, not just manages it

Most asset managers raise capital and invest it on behalf of clients. Brookfield Corporation goes further.

Alongside third-party funds (more than $1 trillion), it invests the capital on its own balance sheet ($180 billion) and is expanding its wealth solution (insurance) business, which now holds $135 billion in assets. That gives Brookfield Corporation access to capital it doesn't need to return for some time.

That flexibility matters. It allows the company to hold assets longer, reinvest cash flows, and deploy capital when markets are weak, rather than selling on a fixed timeline. That's a competitive advantage, since few asset managers operate this way.

That's also what makes the comparison to Berkshire Hathaway legitimate since both models rely on patient capital and a long-term outlook in their investment decision-making.

Its earnings are becoming more predictable

Another important shift is happening in how Brookfield Corporation makes money.

Through Brookfield Asset Management, the company generates roughly $3 billion in annual fee-related earnings, growing at more than 20% year over year. These earnings come from long-term capital commitments and are generally stable.

At the same time, many of Brookfield Corporation's underlying assets -- such as infrastructure and renewable power -- generate consistent cash flows. And let's not forget the insurance business, which is slowly becoming the third profit engine for the company.

Together, this creates a business with more visible, repeatable earnings rather than relying heavily on one-time gains. To put it into perspective, the infrastructure, renewable power, and insurance businesses generated $1.6 billion in distributable earnings in the 2025 fourth quarter.

For long-term investors, having a consistent profit engine is crucial to sustaining the growth machine.

Why may the market be underestimating it?

Brookfield Corporation now manages more than $1 trillion in assets, yet it remains a complex company.

It operates across multiple segments, reports different types of earnings, and doesn't fit neatly into a single category. As a result, some investors may overlook how the pieces fit together.

That complexity can create a gap between perception and reality. But for those willing to do the extra work, it may present an opportunity. One thing is that as its asset management's fee-based earnings grow and its insurance platform scales, the business may become easier to understand.

Also, Berkshire Hathaway has always been complex, if not more so. Still, that complexity hasn't stopped it from becoming one of the most successful companies during the past few decades.

If Brookfield Corporation continues to execute, it could become the next Berkshire Hathaway, with a similar business structure and long-term shareholders' wealth creation.

What does it mean for investors?

Brookfield Corporation doesn't look exactly like Berkshire Hathaway today. But it shares some of the same foundations: long-term capital, operational control, and a focus on reinvesting cash flows over time.

In simple terms, Brookfield Corporation is becoming a company that can generate, manage, and reinvest capital within its own system.

If the model continues to scale, Brookfield Corporation may evolve into something that investors are looking for: a long-term compounding machine.

And for investors willing to look past the complexity, this is the stock that they may want to add to their portfolio.

Should you buy stock in Brookfield Corporation right now?

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Lawrence Nga has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway, Brookfield Asset Management, and Brookfield Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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