That's the case with Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B), the conglomerate that's been run by billionaire Warren Buffett since 1965. In aggregate, we're talking about a return of closer to 3,400,000% for the Class A shares (BRK.A), taking into account year-to-date gains. They can shuffle money under the mattress, buy bank certificates of deposit (CD) or bonds, or purchase a house and cross their fingers that it appreciates at a faster pace than the prevailing rate of inflation.