New York (PTI): Legendary investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett has donated Berkshire Hathaway shares worth $1.25 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.

Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified financial insurance firm, is the flagship company of Mr. Buffett.

The company said in regulatory filling that Mr. Buffett donated 4,28,688 class B shares of Berkshire worth $1.25 billion to the Trust.

"On July 1, 2009, the Trust (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust) received 4,28,688 Class B Shares as a gift from Warren E. Buffett. The closing price per share of the Class B Shares on July 1, 2009 was $2,924," Berkshire Hathaway said in the regulatory filing.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust beneficially owns 16,79,138 shares of Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares. The Class B Stock is a special category of share usually retained by company founders at the time a company goes public and carries certain rights not granted to the stock available to the public.

Today's galleries: