UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 14)*

 

 

(Name of Issuer)

 

(Title of Class of Securities)

 

(CUSIP Number)

 

Laurie Smiley, Esq.

2365 Carillon Point

Kirkland, WA  98033

(425) 889-7900

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

 

 

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. o

 

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See §240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

 

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

 

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 

 

CUSIP No.  084670702
1.	Names of Reporting Persons.  I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only) Cascade Investment, L.L.C.
2.	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	o
	(b)	ý
3.	SEC Use Only
4.	Source of Funds (See Instructions) WC
5.	Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o
6.	Citizenship or Place of Organization State of Washington
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With			7.	Sole Voting Power 6,075,000(1)
			8.	Shared Voting Power -0-
			9.	Sole Dispositive Power 6,075,000(1)
			10.	Shared Dispositive Power -0-
11.	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 6,075,000(1)
12.	Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) o
13.	Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 0.5%
14.	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO

 

(1)Cascade Investment, L.L.C. (“Cascade”) holds 4,050 shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (the “Issuer”) Class A common stock (“Class A Shares”), each of which is convertible, at the option of the holder, into 1,500 shares of the Issuer’s Class B common stock (“Class B Shares”).  The number of Class B Shares above assumes the conversion of the 4,050 Class A Shares held by Cascade into 6,075,000 Class B Shares.  All shares of common stock held by Cascade may be deemed to be beneficially owned by William H. Gates III as the sole member of Cascade.

 

2

 

CUSIP No.  084670702
1.	Names of Reporting Persons.  I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust
2.	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	o
	(b)	ý
3.	SEC Use Only
4.	Source of Funds (See Instructions) OO
5.	Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o
6.	Citizenship or Place of Organization State of Washington
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With			7.	Sole Voting Power -0-
			8.	Shared Voting Power 90,110,573(1)
			9.	Sole Dispositive Power -0-
			10.	Shared Dispositive Power 90,110,573 (1)
11.	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 90,110,573 (1)
12.	Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) o
13.	Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 8.2%
14.	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO

 

(1) For purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, all common stock beneficially owned by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) may be deemed to be beneficially owned by William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates, as Co-Trustees of the Trust.

 

3

 

CUSIP No.  084670702
1.	Names of Reporting Persons.  I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only) William H. Gates III
2.	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	o
	(b)	ý
3.	SEC Use Only
4.	Source of Funds (See Instructions) WC, OO
5.	Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o
6.	Citizenship or Place of Organization United States of America
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With			7.	Sole Voting Power 6,525,000(1)
			8.	Shared Voting Power 90,110,573 (2)
			9.	Sole Dispositive Power 6,525,000(1)
			10.	Shared Dispositive Power 90,110,573 (2)
11.	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 96,635,573(1) (2)
12.	Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) o
13.	Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 8.7%
14.	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) IN

 

(1)William H. Gates III beneficially owns 300 shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (the “Issuer”) Class A common stock (“Class A Shares”) directly and an additional 4,050 Class A Shares through Cascade Investment, L.L.C. (“Cascade”), a limited liability company solely owned by Mr. Gates.  Each Class A Share is convertible, at the option of the holder, into 1,500 shares of the Issuer’s Class B common stock (“Class B Shares”).  The number of Class B Shares shown above assumes the conversion of the 300 Class A Shares held directly by Mr. Gates into 450,000 Class B Shares and the conversion of the 4,050 Class A Shares held by Cascade into 6,075,000 Class B Shares.

 

(2)Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) beneficially owns 90,110,573 shares of the Issuer’s Class B Shares.  For purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, all Class B Shares beneficially owned by the Trust may be deemed to be beneficially owned by William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates, as Co-Trustees of the Trust.

 

4

 

CUSIP No.  084670702
1.	Names of Reporting Persons.  I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only) Melinda French Gates
2.	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	o
	(b)	ý
3.	SEC Use Only
4.	Source of Funds (See Instructions) OO
5.	Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o
6.	Citizenship or Place of Organization United States of America
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With			7.	Sole Voting Power -0-
			8.	Shared Voting Power 90,110,573 (1)
			9.	Sole Dispositive Power -0-
			10.	Shared Dispositive Power 90,110,573 (1)
11.	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 90,110,573 (1)
12.	Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) o
13.	Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 8.2%
14.	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) IN

 

(1) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) beneficially owns 90,110,573 shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class B common stock (“Class B Shares”).  For purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, all Class B Shares beneficially owned by the Trust may be deemed to be beneficially owned by William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates, as Co-Trustees of the Trust.

 

5

 

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

 

This Amendment No. 14 to Schedule 13D (“Amendment”) relates to the Class B common stock, $0.0033 Par Value (“Class B Shares”) of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (the “Issuer”).  Cascade Investment, L.L.C., (“Cascade”), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (the “Trust”), William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”) jointly file this Amendment to amend and supplement the Items set forth below of the Reporting Persons’ Schedule 13D previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 24, 2006, as amended on July 17, 2007, March 20, 2008, July 3, 2008, March 6, 2009, July 2, 2009, March 2, 2010, March 19, 2010, July 2, 2010, November 12, 2010, March 18, 2011, July 7, 2011, January 13, 2012 and July 6, 2012.  Neither the present filing nor anything contained herein shall be construed as an admission that the Reporting Persons constitute a “group” for any purpose and the Reporting Persons expressly disclaim membership in a group.

 

Item 5.      Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

 

(a)        See Items 11 and 13 of the cover pages to this Amendment for the aggregate number and percentage of Class B Shares beneficially owned by each of the Reporting Persons.

 

(b)        See Items 7 through 10 of the cover pages to this Amendment for the number of Class B Shares beneficially owned by each of the Reporting Persons as to which there is sole or shared power to vote or to direct the vote and sole or shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition.

 

(c)        During the period September 17 through November 16, 2012, the Trust sold 4,213,200 Class B Shares, as set forth in Exhibit 99.1 hereto, pursuant to the Trust’s Rule 10b5-1 sales plan.  The sales were made to facilitate compliance with federal excise tax rules limiting excess business holdings by private foundations.

 

(d)        None.

 

(e)        Not applicable.

 

Item 7.          Material to be Filed as Exhibits

 

Exhibit 99.1     Sale transactions during the period September 17, 2012 through November 16, 2012

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

 

Date:  November 16, 2012	CASCADE INVESTMENT, L.L.C.(1)
				By:	*
					Name:	Alan Heuberger(2)
					Title:	Attorney-in-fact for Michael Larson,  Business Manager
				BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION TRUST(1)
				By:	*
					Name:	Alan Heuberger (3)
					Title:	Attorney-in-fact for each of the Co- Trustees, William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates
				WILLIAM H. GATES III(1)
				By:	*
					Name:	Alan Heuberger(3)(4)
					Title:	Attorney-in-fact
				MELINDA FRENCH GATES(1)
				By:	*
					Name:	Alan Heuberger(3)
					Title:	Attorney-in-fact
		*By:		/s/Alan Heuberger
				Alan Heuberger

 

(1)This Amendment is being filed jointly by the Reporting Persons pursuant to the Joint Filing Agreement dated August 24, 2006 and included with the signature page to the Reporting Persons’ Schedule 13D with respect to the Issuer filed on August 24, 2006, SEC File No. 005-55113, and incorporated by reference herein.

 

(2)Duly authorized under Special Limited Power of Attorney appointing Alan Heuberger attorney-in-fact, dated August 12, 2008, by and on behalf of Michael Larson, filed as Exhibit 99.1 to Amendment No. 1 to Cascade’s Schedule 13D with respect to Otter Tail Corporation on April 15, 2009, SEC File No. 005-06638 and incorporated by reference herein.

 

(3)Duly authorized under Special Limited Power of Attorney appointing Alan Heuberger attorney-in-fact, dated August 12, 2008, by and on behalf of William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates as Co-Trustees, filed as Exhibit 99.5 to Cascade’s Schedule 13D with respect to Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. on May 7, 2009, SEC File No. 005-60431 and incorporated by reference herein.

 

(4)Duly authorized under Special Limited Power of Attorney appointing Alan Heuberger attorney-in-fact, dated August 12, 2008, by and on behalf of William H. Gates III, filed as Exhibit 99.2 to Amendment No. 1 to Cascade’s Schedule 13D with respect to Otter Tail Corporation on April 15, 2009, SEC File No. 005-06638 and incorporated by reference herein.

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

The table below specifies the date, quantity, weighted-average sale price and range of price per share of Class B common stock of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. sold by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) during the period September 17, 2012 through November 16, 2012.   The Trust undertakes to provide upon request by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.  All of the transactions were effected on the New York Stock Exchange or through Electronic Communication Networks.

 

Date of Transaction	Number of Shares of Common Stock Sold		Weighted-Average Price Paid Per Share ($)	Range of Price Paid Per Share ($)
11/16/2012	89,059		85.6279	84.8550 – 85.8500
11/16/2012	8,541		85.8947	85.8550 – 85.9850
11/15/2012	97,600		85.3055	85.0000  - 85.5600
11/14/2012	96,000		85.1535	84.8550  - 85.6600
11/14/2012	1,600		86.1300	86.1300  - 86.1300
11/13/2012	97,600		86.1131	85.6500  - 86.6350
11/12/2012	97,600		85.2772	85.0500  - 85.5500
11/9/2012	96,700		85.2766	84.7500  - 85.7450
11/9/2012	900		85.7589	85.7500  - 85.7800
11/8/2012	92,000		85.1615	84.8500  - 85.8100
11/8/2012	5,600		86.1005	85.9300  - 86.3100
11/7/2012	97,600		85.9139	85.3050  - 86.1700
11/6/2012	97,600		87.1895	86.7200  - 87.3900
11/5/2012	94,811		86.5907	85.9500  - 86.9450
11/5/2012	2,789		86.9942	86.9500  - 87.0300
11/2/2012	97,600		87.1575	86.9200  - 87.6850
11/1/2012	97,600		87.2390	86.9900  - 87.6200
10/31/2012	97,600		86.4662	86.1850  - 86.8200
10/26/2012	97,600		86.7090	86.3000  - 87.0700
10/25/2012	97,600		87.0388	86.8200  - 87.3400
10/24/2012	97,600		87.1805	86.8250  - 87.4900
10/23/2012	97,600		87.0770	86.8150  - 87.6500
10/22/2012	90,580		88.2587	87.8650  - 88.8600
10/22/2012	7,020		89.2143	88.8650  - 89.3000
10/19/2012	80,200		89.0669	88.5200  - 89.5100
10/19/2012	17,400		89.6806	89.5200  - 89.9200
10/18/2012	97,600		90.6050	90.3100  - 90.9200

 

 

10/17/2012	97,600		90.4227	90.1700  - 90.5500
10/16/2012	97,600		89.8130	89.6400  - 89.9300
10/15/2012	97,600		88.8891	88.4500  - 89.2900
10/12/2012	82,600		88.4323	88.2300  - 89.1000
10/12/2012	15,000		89.4162	89.2950  - 89.5200
10/11/2012	97,600		88.7779	88.6650  - 89.1400
10/10/2012	97,600		88.8165	88.5600  - 89.4000
10/9/2012	95,000		89.4268	89.2300  - 89.7700
10/9/2012	2,600		90.2300	90.2300  - 90.2300
10/8/2012	97,600		90.2844	90.1700  - 90.5800
10/5/2012	91,200		90.3844	90.1050  - 90.6700
10/4/2012	99,200		90.2540	89.9000  - 90.4700
10/3/2012	99,200		89.3966	89.1000  - 89.6500
10/2/2012	99,200		88.6613	88.4250  - 89.1400
10/1/2012	97,120		88.9808	88.5000  - 89.4950
10/1/2012	2,080		89.5096	89.5000  - 89.5300
9/28/2012	99,600		88.1267	87.5600  - 88.4950
9/27/2012	99,200		88.3573	88.0800  - 88.6600
9/26/2012	99,200		88.6999	88.3200  - 89.0850
9/25/2012	78,488		88.3984	88.1400  - 89.1300
9/25/2012	20,712		89.2641	89.1600  - 89.3400
9/24/2012	99,200		89.0672	88.6500  - 89.5100
9/21/2012	99,200		89.6635	89.2800  - 89.9150
9/20/2012	10,300		88.5835	88.1300  - 89.1200
9/20/2012	88,900		89.3129	89.1300  - 89.4850
9/19/2012	99,200		89.0315	88.6800  - 89.2300
9/18/2012	99,200		88.4834	88.3250  - 88.5800
9/17/2012	99,200		88.4746	88.3400  - 88.6700