BRIEF-Warren Buffett issues letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders

Buffett Says Berkshire Still Carries Kraft Heinz: * WARREN BUFFETT SAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY TO MAKE MAJOR ACQUISITIONS MEETING ITS REQUIREMENTS ARE 'RARE' -- ANNUAL LETTE TO BERKSHIRE SHAREHOLDERS

* BUFFETT SAYS 'FICKLE' STOCK MARKET GIVES BERKSHIRE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE LARGE, NON-CONTROLLING INVESTMENTS IN COMPANIES * BUFFETT SAYS BERKSHIRE MAY IN TIME EXPERIENCE A DECLINE IN INSURANCE FLOAT, BUT THAT THE DECLINE WILL BE VERY GRADUAL, NO MORE THAN 3% IN ANY YEAR

* BUFFETT SAYS BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY ENERGY HAS ABILITY TO MANAGE UTILITIES REQUIRING MORE THAN $100 BILLION OF INVESTMENTS, AND STANDS 'READY, WILLING AND ABLE' TO TAKE ON SUCH OPPORTUNITIES * ON ITS BALANCE SHEET AT $13.8 BILLION; BERKSHIRE DID NOT REPORT AN IMPAIRMENT CHARGE FOR KRAFT HEINZ IN Q4 IN ITS EARNINGS RELEASE

* BUFFETT SAYS EARNINGS GENERATED BY COMPANIES WHOSE STOCKS BERKSHIRE OWNS ARE 'REMARKABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES,' AND 'TRULY MIND-BLOWING' COMPARED TO RETURNS ON BONDS * BUFFETT, 89, SAYS BERKSHIRE IS 100% PREPARED FOR THE EVENTUAL DEPARTURES OF HIM AND VICE CHAIRMAN CHARLIE MUNGER, 96, AS BOTH 'LONG AGO ENTERED THE URGENT ZONE'

* BUFFETT CALLS IT 'ALMOST CERTAIN' THAT EQUITIES WILL OVER TIME PERFORM FAR BETTER THAN LONG-TERM BONDS * BERKSHIRE SAYS IT ENDED 2019 WITH $128 BILLION OF CASH AND

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