Warren Buffett Donates Record $6-B In Berkshire Shares

Warren Buffett has donated another $6 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Gates Foundation and four family charities — his largest annual donation since he began giving away his fortune nearly two decades ago, Jonathan Stempel reported for Reuters.

Now 94, Buffett began giving away his fortune in 2006. I Photo: Gates Foundation

The donation of approximately 12.36 million Berkshire Class B shares boosted Buffett's total charitable giving to well over $60 billion.

He donated 9.43 million shares to the Gates Foundation; 943,384 shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation; and 660,366 shares to each of the three charities led respectively by his children Howard, Susie, and Peter: the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation, and NoVo Foundation.

Buffett still owns 13.8% of Berkshire’s stock, based on reported shares outstanding. His $152 billion net worth before Friday’s donations made him the world’s fifth-richest person, according to Forbes magazine.

After the donations, he would rank sixth. The amount surpassed the $5.3 billion he donated last June. He also gave another $1.14 billion to the family charities in November.

In a statement, Buffett reiterated that he does not intend to sell any Berkshire shares. Now 94, Buffett began giving away his fortune in 2006. He revised his will last year to designate 99.5% of his remaining wealth to a charitable trust overseen by his children.