Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s first-quarter operating profit fell from a year earlier as many of the company's businesses suffered from the recession, Chairman Warren Buffett said Saturday.

Berkshire's first-quarter operating earnings fell to $1.7 billion from $1.9 billion a year earlier, Mr. Buffett said at the company's annual shareholders meeting. Operating earnings exclude investment and derivative gains and losses. He didn't mention net income.