Warren Buffett, the 94-year-old billionaire and legendary investor, has donated approximately $6 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares to five charitable foundations, continuing his long-standing commitment to philanthropy.
In a statement released Saturday, Buffett announced the donation of 9.43 million Class B shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, along with 2.92 million shares distributed among four other foundations: the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named in honor of his late wife.
This latest donation is part of Buffett’s Giving Pledge, a commitment launched in 2010 with Bill and Melinda Gates, urging the world’s wealthiest individuals to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.
“The mathematics of the lifetime commitments to the five foundations are interesting,” Buffett said. “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 began his large-scale philanthropic giving in 2006, initially targeting the Gates Foundation and the charitable organizations of his children. Since then, his annual giving has become a closely watched indicator of major philanthropic trends.
The billionaire investor also confirmed that he has no personal debt and that his remaining Class A Berkshire shares, currently valued at approximately $145 billion, represent over 99% of his net worth. He reiterated that 99.5% of his estate will be directed toward philanthropy through provisions in his will.
Buffett recently announced he will step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway by the end of 2025, with Vice Chairman Greg Abel set to succeed him. While Buffett said he will retain control during his lifetime, he emphasized that he will not sell his Berkshire shares; instead, he will continue to donate them over time.
