Warren Buffett is an entrepreneur from the USA and one of the world’s largest and best-known investors. He is nicknamed the Oracle of Omaha for his ability to accurately predict stock market behaviour. He is Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
Biography
- 30 August 1930 – was born in Omaha to Howard Buffett, a stockbroker and future congressman.
- 1941 – made his first investment, bought three shares of Cities Service Preferred for $38.
- 1944 – filed his first tax return and also bought his first property — 40 acres of land, which he leased out.
- 1947 – entered the University of Pennsylvania, but transferred to the University of Nebraska two years later.
- 1950 – At the age of 19, he graduated with a degree in Business Administration.
- 1951 – applied to Harvard but was rejected. Instead, he entered Columbia University.
Career
- 1954 – he started working as an analyst at the Benjamin Graham Partnership investment company in New York. His salary was $12,000 per year.
- 1956 – After Graham’s resignation, he returned to Omaha and founded his investment company.
- 1962 – started buying up the textile company Berkshire Hathaway (BH) shares.
- 1965 – gained control of the company and began its transformation from a textile factory into a holding investment corporation.
- 1970 – became chairman and CEO of BH.
- 1973-1974 – The market crisis allowed Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate with holdings in dozens of industries, to buy up undervalued assets on a massive scale.
- 1988 – corporation buys a significant stake in Coca-Cola for $1 billion, one of Buffett’s most successful investments.
- 2016 – acquired Precision Castparts for $37 billion, one of Buffett’s largest deals.
- 2020 – During the pandemic invested in tech stocks, especially Apple, which has become the most valuable asset in the portfolio. Among Warren Buffett’s notable failures is his investment in Dexter Shoe Company, which cost shareholders billions.
The Warren Buffett portfolio includes significant holdings in companies like Apple, Coca-Cola, and American Express.
Politics
2016 – Buffett officially endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton’s candidacy in the US presidential election. He publicly criticized the political rhetoric of the then-candidate and later President Donald Trump, advocating moderation, inclusiveness, and consistency in government.
Wealth
2024 — Warren Buffett’s net worth is over $120 billion.
Charity
- 2006 – announces about donating 10 million class B shares of his company to the Gates Foundation. According to the agreement, it will receive 5% of the total donation every July.
- 2010 – Buffett Warren donated approximately $37 billion – to five charities.
- 2024 – Buffett has donated about $42.8 billion to charity in his lifetime. Most of these funds improve healthcare, fight poverty, expand educational opportunities, and support initiatives promoting sustainable development. He remains one of the most generous philanthropists in human history.
Family
- 1952 – Married Susan Thompson. The couple later had 3 children: daughter Susie and sons Howard and Peter.
- 1977 – The couple separated, but remained officially married.
- 2004 – his first wife died.
- 2006, 30 August – Buffett married again. His second wife became Astrid Manx, his long-time life partner.