Buffett Donated $4.1 Billion Worth of Berkshire Shares

Warren Buffett is not only one of the wealthiest persons in the world, but he is also famous for his philanthropy. He decided to donate $4.1 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares to five foundations. This week Buffett also announced that he will resign as the trustee at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

His latest donation marked the halfway for the 90-year old Oracle of Omaha. In 2006, he pledged to give away all of his Berkshire Hathaway shares through annual gifts to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He donated shares to other foundations as well. The list includes Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation, Howard G. Buffett Foundation as well as NoVo foundation. Buffett’s 16 annual contributions to the five foundations over the years were worth $41 billion when disbursed.

Back then, he owned 474,998 Hathaway A shares. Buffett currently owns 238,624 shares, worth about $100 billion. Berkshire A shares rebounded over 20% to reach a record high in 2021. Its shares jumped in 2021 as many of the conglomerate’s businesses recovered better than expected from the pandemic hit.

Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway shares, and Gates Foundation

Warren Buffett’s resignation as Gates Foundation trustee comes as the organization faces a turbulent time with the divorce of its two founders. Gates and his wife along with Warren Buffett were the creators of the Giving Pledge. This program requires contributors to donate more than half of their wealth.

Bill Gates and his wife Melinda French Gates announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage last month. Hopefully, they will keep working together on philanthropic efforts, which cover education, gender equality, and health care. Today the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has more than $51 billion in assets, making it one of the world’s wealthiest foundations.