The Gates Foundation was a net seller of Microsoft stock every quarter since the end of . While a particularly large sale of approximately 17 million shares, representing around 65% of its MSFT stock holding, was disclosed in its in , this overarching trend indicates that trimming activities were underway during the .
Despite the Gates Foundation’s adjustments, major institutional investors such as Vanguard Group Inc. and BlackRock Inc. maintained substantial stakes in Microsoft. As of , Vanguard Group was reported to be Microsoft’s largest shareholder, holding 701.99 million shares, accounting for 9.4% of the total shares outstanding. BlackRock Inc. held 591.86 million shares, representing 7.96% of the total outstanding shares. These figures illustrate the continued significant institutional backing for the tech giant.
Concurrently, Microsoft reported strong results for its fiscal (ending ), with revenue increasing 13% to $56.5 billion. The company’s Microsoft Cloud revenue reached $31.8 billion, marking a 24% year-over-year increase, and operating income rose 25% to $26.9 billion. These financial metrics indicate a period of robust growth for Microsoft preceding and during the reported trimming activities by the Gates Foundation.
The Gates Foundation’s decision to reduce its Microsoft holdings was attributed to a strategic effort to rebalance its portfolio and ensure liquidity for its philanthropic initiatives. The foundation announced plans to increase its annual grantmaking to $9 billion by and aims to spend down its full endowment by . Analysts suggested that this move was operational and consistent with the foundation’s financial objectives, rather than an indication of concerns regarding Microsoft’s performance or the burgeoning AI market.
Specific details on the exact volume of Microsoft shares sold by the Gates Foundation exclusively within to are not publicly itemized beyond being part of a continuous net selling trend since late . Furthermore, public disclosures have not indicated a widespread, significant reduction in holdings by other top institutional investors, such as Vanguard or BlackRock, specifically during
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