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2020 in Review: The Year for Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, aka the “Oracle of Omaha,” is known for being one of the greatest investors of all time. With a net worth of $85.3 billion, he’s currently the sixth-richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
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However, unlike his fellow billionaires Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, Buffett’s wealth has actually decreased in 2020. In fact, as of September, Buffett had lost more money in the past year than anyone else on Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans, Business Insider reported.
February: Buffett Gets an iPhone
Despite being one of the richest people alive, Buffett is known for living frugally. He has famously eschewed smartphones for many years, using a Samsung flip phone instead. However, during an interview with CNBC in February, Buffett revealed that he had finally upgraded to an iPhone.
May: Berkshire Hathaway Posts Record $50 Billion Net Loss
On May 2, Buffett’s conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway posted a record net loss of $49.75 billion due to the coronavirus pandemic’s effects on its common stock investments, Reuters reported.
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May: Buffett Reveals Berkshire Hathaway Had Sold All of Its Airline Stock
During a May shareholder meeting, Buffett said that Berkshire Hathaway had sold all its shares in Delta, Southwest, United and American because he believed it would take years for the air travel industry to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, CNN reported.
July: Buffett Announces $2.9 Billion Charitable Donation
In July, Buffett announced that he would be distributing 15.9 million class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway valued at about $2.9 billion to several philanthropic organizations, CNBC reported. Among the charities he would be donating to are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a charity founded by his late wife, Susan Thompson Buffett.
Look Back: The Year in Your Money
July: Buffett’s Bet on Apple Pays Off to the Tune of $40 Billion
Buffett held off on buying Apple stock until 2016, but shares of the tech stock now account for 40% of Berkshire Hathaway’s equity portfolio. By July, Berkshire Hathaway’s Apple shares had increased in value by $40 billion since bottoming out in March. According to CNBC, Berkshire’s investment in Apple stock played a crucial role in helping the conglomerate weather the pandemic as other areas of its business — such as insurance and energy — saw huge declines this year.
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November: Buffett Invests in Drugmakers Working on COVID-19 Vaccines
According to public filings, Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway made new investments in large pharmaceutical companies that were working on developing a coronavirus vaccine: Merck & Co., Bristol Myers Squibb Co. and AbbVie Inc. The company invested between $1.8 billion and $1.9 billion in each, The Wall Street Journal reported.
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