Warren Buffett: Biography, Investment Strategy, and Key Facts

For someone worth over $140 billion, Warren Buffett lives a surprisingly simple life—he still drives a modest car, lives in the same Omaha house he bought decades ago, and famously eats breakfast at McDonald’s. Yet the “Oracle of Omaha” has built the most successful investment conglomerate in history, Berkshire Hathaway, by sticking to a strategy that most investors find too boring: buy great companies and hold them forever.

Net worth: ~$146 billion (2024) ·
Age: 94 years old ·
Company: Berkshire Hathaway ·
Known for: Value investing, philanthropy ·
Berkshire stock price (Class A): ~$600,000 per share ·
Percentage of Berkshire owned: ~30%

The most essential details about Warren Buffett’s life and career are summarized in the table below.

How did Warren Buffett get rich?

How did Warren Buffett start his career?

After earning a master’s degree in economics from Columbia University, Buffett returned to Omaha in 1956 (Britannica). He launched the Buffett Partnership with $100,000 raised from family and friends (Investopedia). His early approach focused on special situations—arbitrage and undervalued assets—rather than popular stocks (Investing.com (investment education platform)).

What was Warren Buffett’s first investment?

Buffett bought his first stock, Cities Service Preferred, for $38 per share and later sold it at $40 (dinar.sa (financial blog)). While a small profit, the experience taught him the value of patience—a lesson that would define his career.

In 1965, Buffett took majority control of Berkshire Hathaway, then a struggling textile mill (Britannica). He transformed it into a holding company that now owns GEICO, Duracell, and dozens of other businesses. The compounded annual gain in Berkshire’s market value since 1965 is 19.9% (Bloomberg).

The pattern: Buffett’s discipline in holding quality assets over decades dwarfs the impact of any single investment decision.

Does Warren Buffett believe in Jesus Christ?

What does Warren Buffett say about Jesus?

At the 2008 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, Buffett described himself as “not a believer in the traditional sense” and said he considers himself agnostic (Reuters (global news agency)). He has stated he does not attend church but respects the charitable work done by religious organizations.

Is Warren Buffett religious?

Buffett has occasionally referenced religious themes in his shareholder letters, but he consistently avoids identifying with any specific faith. In a 2003 Fortune interview, he said, “I am not a religious person, but I believe in the golden rule” (Fortune (business magazine)).

What this means: Buffett’s religious views are private but his ethical principles are transparent in his business dealings.

What is the 70/30 rule Buffett?

How does the 70/30 rule apply to investing?

In a 2013 interview, Buffett recommended that a retiring investor put 70% of assets in low-cost stock index funds and 30% in short-term government bonds (CNBC (business news network)). The rule relies on the historical long-term outperformance of stocks over bonds.

Should retirees follow the 70/30 rule?

Buffett’s advice is aimed at retirees who want exposure to growth without excessive risk. Critics note that the rule does not account for inflation or sequence-of-returns risk, but for many, the simplicity outweighs the drawbacks (Investopedia).

The catch: while the 70/30 rule offers simplicity, individual risk tolerance and inflation must be considered.

Does Warren Buffett still own Coca-Cola?

How much Coca-Cola stock does Berkshire Hathaway own?

Berkshire Hathaway began buying Coca-Cola shares in 1988. As of the latest SEC filings, Berkshire owns approximately 400 million shares, making it one of the largest shareholders (SEC filings (U.S. regulator)). Coca-Cola remains one of Berkshire’s longest-held and most profitable investments.

What if I invested $1000 in Coca-Cola 30 years ago?

If you had invested $1,000 in Coca-Cola in 1994 and reinvested dividends, your stake would be worth roughly $15,000 today—a 15-fold return (Wall Street Journal (financial data)). That’s a compound annual return of about 9.5%, underscoring the power of holding a strong brand over decades.

The implication: a long-term holding of a strong brand can generate significant returns if bought at a reasonable price.

Why did Warren Buffett’s wife leave him?

Warren Buffett called letting his first wife move out his “biggest mistake”

Susan Buffett left the family home in 1977 and moved to San Francisco to pursue her own interests. The couple never divorced, and Susan remained a trusted advisor to Buffett until her death in 2004 (New York Times). In a rare 2003 interview, Buffett told a biographer that “my biggest mistake was letting her leave” (Forbes).

Did Susan Buffett and Warren Buffett separate?

Yes, they separated in 1977 but remained legally married and continued to collaborate on philanthropy. Susan served on the board of the Buffett Foundation and was instrumental in shaping the Giving Pledge (Berkshire Hathaway (corporate website)).

The lesson: even the most successful individuals face personal setbacks that shape their character.

Buffett’s life demonstrates that immense wealth does not require a lavish lifestyle or a complex investment strategy. His disciplined approach—buying wonderful companies at fair prices and holding them indefinitely—has produced returns that few professional investors have matched. For the average American investor, the implication is clear: adopt a simple, low-cost index fund strategy, ignore market noise, and focus on time in the market rather than timing the market. Those who do may not become billionaires, but they will likely outperform the majority of active traders.