Buffett’s Final $140 Billion Trade: Here’s Where All His Stock Is Going, and Who Got Left Out

By Danielle Liverance Published Jul 15, 6:00AM EDT

Quick Read

Buffett transferred $6 billion in BRK-B directly to four family foundations, excluding the Gates Foundation for the first time in 20 years.
Buffett cited Bill Gates' disclosed ties to Jeffrey Epstein as the reason for ending nearly $48 billion in donations spanning two decades.
Buffett's total philanthropic commitment of $200 billion is the largest in American history, with $60 billion already given and $140 billion still pledged.
This lithium producer surpassed a $1B private valuation, joining some of America's most powerful startups. Now you can invest in EnergyX alongside global giants like General Motors, but only through July 16. (sponsor)

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Warren Buffett just made the largest trade of his life, and it has nothing to do with the stock market. On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the 95-year-old Berkshire Hathaway chairman committed to giving away every remaining share he owns, currently worth more than $140 billion, to four family foundations by December 31, 2034. He backed it up by donating roughly $6 billion in Berkshire Class B stock (NYSE:BRK-B | BRK-B Price Prediction) the same day. For the first time since 2006, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recipient of nearly $48 billion from Buffett over two decades, got nothing.

The $140 Billion Plan

“My goal is to dispose of all of my Berkshire shares within about eight years,” Buffett said. “Of course, mortality is unpredictable, but my remaining shares will be donated to the four foundations one way or the other by December 31, 2034.” The new plan sets a hard date regardless of when he dies, replacing the old plan that left his three children to distribute his fortune within 10 years of his death.

Buffett currently holds 188,290 Class A shares and 1,162 Class B shares, worth roughly $140-150 billion. Clearing that by 2034 implies at least $17 billion in donations per year, more than double the roughly $7 billion he gave in 2025. He has pledged 99.5% of his estate to philanthropy: “My will provides that about 99.5% of my estate is destined for philanthropic usage. Nothing will go to endowments; I want the money spent on current needs.”

Tuesday’s $6 Billion and Where It Went

The immediate donation totaled 12 million Class B shares, roughly $5.9-6 billion, split four ways. The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation received 9 million shares, about $4.4-4.5 billion, by far the largest allocation. The Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation each received 1 million shares, about $496-500 million. All shares were converted from Class A stock. Buffett keeps his remaining A shares, which carry nearly all of Berkshire’s voting power, preserving effective control even as his economic stake shrinks.

Who Got Left Out

The Gates Foundation’s absence stands out. Buffett had donated every year since 2006, nearly 20 consecutive years and more than $47-48 billion. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Buffett was holding back the scheduled Gates donation pending a law firm’s review. The stated reason: Bill Gates’ disclosed connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Department of Justice documents released earlier in 2026 revealed Epstein spent a decade cultivating people close to Gates, including foundation advisers.

Gates has not been accused of participating in Epstein’s illegal actions. He has said he only met Epstein because he thought it might help raise money for charitable causes, and told the House Oversight Committee he regretted the meetings. Buffett said: “He found their weakness. It might have been sex. It might be power.” The Gates Foundation responded: “The Gates Foundation is grateful to Warren Buffett for his decades of support. His gifts, totaling more than $47 billion, have helped us. The foundation continues from a position of financial strength to advance our work through 2045, supported by Bill’s $200 billion commitment.”

What It Means for Berkshire Shareholders

If you own Berkshire and just read “$140 billion in stock being distributed,” the structure matters. Buffett is transferring shares directly to foundations rather than selling them on the open market, so there is no sudden supply flood pressuring the price. The foundations will sell gradually over years to fund operations, the same pattern the Gates Foundation followed.

Governance is the real question. Greg Abel became CEO at the end of 2025, but Buffett as chairman retains effective control through his A shares. The pivotal long-term issue is who controls those A shares after Buffett departs. Berkshire’s cash pile hit a record $380 billion in Q1 FY2026 per the company’s 8-K filing, and shares are down 2.3% year to date, trading near $491.09. Given the direct-transfer structure, Tuesday’s announcement should carry no immediate negative price impact.

The Largest Philanthropic Act in History

Buffett has now given more than $60-61 billion in his lifetime, with roughly $140 billion still to come, a combined commitment near $200 billion, the largest philanthropic pledge in American history. He co-founded the Giving Pledge with Bill and Melinda Gates in 2010, alongside signatories including Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos, and MacKenzie Scott, which makes the Buffett-Gates rupture all the more striking in the pledge’s 16th year.

He is 95, turning 96 next month, and the deadline he set himself is eight years away. The world’s greatest investor has made one final trade, and the return he is chasing is not measured in dollars.

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About the Author Danielle Liverance →

I've spent more than 15 years inside enterprise software, working alongside the finance, sales operations, and HR leaders who run the revenue engines at some of the largest tech companies in the country.

My day job is helping enterprise executives make smarter decisions about retention, compensation, and growth. These are the same operational levers that show up in every earnings report investors actually read. That perspective shapes my writing for 24/7 Wall St.

The headline numbers are easy. The interesting stuff is underneath: how companies make money, what executives are worried about, and what any of it means for the person checking their 401(k) on a Sunday afternoon. I write about personal finance and business as someone who has spent her career inside the rooms where these decisions get made.