(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
On June 27, Warren Buffett converted 8,239 Berkshire Hathaway Class A shares into 12,358,500 Class B shares to support his ongoing philanthropic commitments. Of those, 12,358,321 shares will be donated to five foundations, with the transfers set to be completed on June 30.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust will receive 9,433,839 shares, while the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation will receive 943,384 shares. The Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation will each receive 660,366 shares.
Following this latest round of donations, Buffett’s Berkshire holdings now total 198,117 A shares and 1,144 B shares.
Buffett reaffirmed his long-standing pledge made in 2006 to give away the majority of his wealth, noting that his philanthropic contributions—now totaling about $60 billion in value—have far exceeded his net worth at the time of his original commitment. Despite his continued generosity, his remaining holdings are still worth approximately $145 billion.
Buffett emphasized that no extraordinary events drove this wealth creation, attributing it to sound decisions, time, and the American economic “tailwind.” He reiterated that roughly 99.5% of his estate will ultimately go to philanthropy, per the terms outlined in his will.
© 2025 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.