Gates Foundation slashes Microsoft stake by $9 billion in strategic shift
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust has cut its Microsoft stake dramatically. In the third quarter of 2023, it sold off roughly 17 million shares, reducing its holdings from $13.9 billion to $4.76 billion. The move marks a major shift for the foundation, which had been Microsoft’s largest shareholder until recently.
The sales generated about $8.8 billion in proceeds, based on Microsoft’s stock price of around $478 per share. This follows a steady pattern of divestment, as the trust has sold portions of its Microsoft stake every quarter since late 2023. Microsoft, once the top holding in the portfolio, now ranks fourth.
The foundation’s reduced stake in Microsoft signals a clear shift in investment strategy. With Microsoft 365 and Azure cloud business still expanding, the trust’s focus now lies on securing funds for future grantmaking. The changes ensure the foundation can meet its ambitious targets for charitable giving over the next two decades.
