Finance

Warren Buffett speaks out against creating family wealth dynasties, gives away another $1.1 billion

Published

3 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Business Finance News

Warren Buffett

David A. Grogan | CNBC

Warren Buffett, who has amassed a $150 billion personal fortune, made a strong case against creating “dynastic” wealth as he named three independent trustees to oversee his philanthropy following his children and donated another $1.1 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to four family foundations.

Instead of leaving his three children an enormous inheritance, the 94-year-old legendary investor has long pledged to give away 99% of the fortune he built at Berkshire, the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate he started running since 1965.

Buffett believes family wealth dynasties could have negative consequences such as eroding personal growth and complicating relationships. Meanwhile, they also create societal uncertainties as it’s unforeseeable how future generations choose to distribute such wealth.

“I’ve never wished to create a dynasty or pursue any plan that extended beyond the children,” Buffett wrote in a lengthy letter Monday. “I know the three well and trust them completely. Future generations are another matter. Who can foresee the priorities, intelligence and fidelity of successive generations to deal with the distribution of extraordinary wealth amid what may be a far different philanthropic landscape?”

Successor trustees named

The “Oracle of Omaha,” who owns about 37.6% of Berkshire Class A shares, said the assets he’s collected may take longer to deploy than his children live. He has appointed three trustees of his charitable trust to potentially succeed his children in disbursing his wealth. Buffett’s children are now 71, 69 and 66.

“Three potential successor trustees have been designated. Each is well known to my children and makes sense to all of us. They are also somewhat younger than my children,” Buffett wrote. “But these successors are on the wait list. I hope Susie, Howie and Peter themselves disburse all of my assets.”

The identity of the trustees was not revealed.

Buffett has been making annual donations to four family foundations since 2006. He said he’s built strong trust in his children’s managerial ability and philanthropic ambition through years of observation.

“The 2006-2024 period gave me the chance to observe each of my children in action and they have learned much about large-scale philanthropy and human behavior,” he said. “They enjoy being comfortable financially, but they are not preoccupied with wealth. Their mother, from whom they learned these values, would be very proud of them. As am I.”

Buffett’s Berkshire, which pierced a $1 trillion market cap this year, owns a vast array of well-established businesses, ranging from its crown jewel Geico insurance to BNSF Railway to consumer brands like Dairy Queen and See’s Candies.

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UniCredit offers to buy rival Italian lender Banco BPM for $10.5 billion

Published

11 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Business Finance News

A logo on the UniCredit SpA headquarters in Milan, Italy, on Saturday Jan. 22, 2022.

Bloomberg | Getty Images

Italian lender UniCredit on Monday offered to snap up its domestic rival Banco BPM for roughly 10 billion euros ($10.5 billion) in a move it says is separate from its pursuit of German bank Commerzbank.

The move would, if completed, merge two of Italy’s largest lenders. UniCredit said in a statement early Monday that it is offering 6.657 euros for each share — a slight premium on Friday’s close price of 6.644 euros.

UniCredit said the purchase, which would be an all-stock deal, would allow the bank to “further strengthen its role as a leading pan-European banking group.”

This is a breaking news story, please check back later for more.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of Banco BPM.