How Warren Buffett Built the Fortune
Warren Buffett is worth an estimated $104.69B today — #12 on the world's rich list. Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, known as one of the most successful investors in history.
The fortune didn't appear overnight. The first milestone on the public record came at age 12: first stock at age 11. Everything after that is a chain of documented decisions — this is that chain, year by year.
The Milestones
1942: First stock at age 11
at age 12Bought his first shares — Cities Service preferred stock.
1951: Studied under Benjamin Graham
at age 21Learned value investing from Graham at Columbia Business School.
1956: Started his first partnership
at age 26Launched the Buffett Partnership in Omaha.
1965: Took control of Berkshire Hathaway
at age 35Gained control of the struggling textile maker and reshaped it into a holding company.
1988: Bought into Coca-Cola
at age 58Began accumulating a signature long-term stake in Coca-Cola.
2006: The Giving Pledge era
at age 76Pledged to give away the bulk of his fortune, largely through the Gates Foundation.
Today: #12 in the world
Warren's net worth is an estimated $104.69B, updated in real time from public holdings. See the live number →
Milestones are drawn from widely-reported public history; ages are computed from the birth year and can be off by one depending on the month. Net worth is our real-time estimate.