Investor Warren BuffettB次元官网网址檚 fortune surged above $100 billion Wednesday when shares of his company hit a record high at over $400,000 apiece.
Berkshire HathawayB次元官网网址檚 Class A shares climbed to $407,750 Wednesday before giving up some ground to close the day at $398,840. The Class B shares of the Omaha, Nebraska, based conglomerate were selling for a much more affordable price of $263.99.
BerkshireB次元官网网址檚 shares have generally been increasing over the past two weeks since Buffett released his annual letter to shareholders late last month. Even with the coronavirus pandemic weighing on many of BerkshireB次元官网网址檚 businesses, the company reported a $35.8 billion fourth-quarter profit, largely due to paper gains on the value of its investments.
BuffettB次元官网网址檚 fortune, which is mostly tied to his ownership of 248,734 Class A shares, topped $101 billion at the stockB次元官网网址檚 peak Wednesday. But he would be worth significantly more if he hadnB次元官网网址檛 been giving away large blocks of Berkshire Hathaway stock annually to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and several other charities since 2006.
Buffett estimates that the shares he has given to charity over the years were worth more than $37 billion total at the time they were given away.
The 90-year-old investor was once the worldB次元官网网址檚 richest man, but he has fallen back to No. 5 in Forbes magazineB次元官网网址檚 current list of the worldB次元官网网址檚 richest people. AmazonB次元官网网址檚 Jeff Bezos is listed as the worldB次元官网网址檚 richest man with a $179.6 billion fortune.
BuffettB次元官网网址檚 Berkshire owns more than 90 companies outright, including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance and several major utilities. The conglomerate also owns manufacturing, furniture, shoe, jewelry, chocolate, underwear and brick companies. And Berkshire holds major investments in Apple, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, American Express and other stocks.
