Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor and longtime chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has donated approximately $6 billion worth of company shares to five charitable foundations, continuing his long-standing philanthropic commitment.
In a statement released Saturday, Buffett confirmed he would donate a total of 12.35 million Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock across five foundations.
The bulk of the gift 9.43 million shares will go to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, while the remaining 2.92 million shares will be distributed among the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his late wife, and the individual foundations led by his three children: the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.
The latest donation is part of a commitment Buffett, now 94, made nearly 20 years ago and reinforces his role as one of the world’s most prolific philanthropists. Since 2006, he has given away Berkshire shares valued at approximately $60 billion, a figure that, by his own account, exceeds his entire net worth at the time he began his annual giving.
“The five foundations have received Berkshire B shares that had a value when received of about $60 billion, substantially more than my entire net worth in 2006,” Buffett noted in his statement.
Buffett has long pledged that nearly all his wealth—about 99.5% of his estate—will go to philanthropic causes either during his lifetime or through his will. In 2010, he joined forces with Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates to launch the Giving Pledge, an initiative encouraging the world’s wealthiest individuals to dedicate the majority of their fortunes to charity.
“I have no debts and my remaining A shares are worth about $145 billion, well over 99% of my net worth,” Buffett said. “My will provides that about 99.5% of my estate is destined for philanthropic usage.”
What to know
This year’s contribution comes as Buffett prepares to step down as chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway by the end of 2025. His long-time deputy, Greg Abel, is set to succeed him. Though stepping away from daily management, Buffett has pledged not to sell a single share of Berkshire stock, choosing instead to gradually donate his holdings.
Following the latest round of donations, Buffett’s stake in the company stands at 198,117 Class A shares and 1,144 Class B shares, still placing him among the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Buffett’s sustained generosity, marked by both scale and strategy, continues to shape the philanthropic landscape. His donations support efforts spanning global health, education, poverty reduction, and community development, setting a powerful example of wealth redistribution in the modern era.
