By Adam Levine
The charity foundation of Microsoft founder Bill Gates no longer owns Microsoft stock. On Friday, the charity's endowment, the Gates Foundation Trust, disclosed the sale of its remaining 7.7 million shares, a stake worth $3.2 billion at current prices.
The sales came during the first quarter, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A year ago, the trust held 28.5 million Microsoft shares, worth $10.7 billion and representing 26% of the fund as of March 2025. The fund's sole trustee is Bill Gates, who has influence over investment decisions, though it's managed by Cascade Asset Management.
Gates announced last year that he was winding down the work of the Gates Foundation over a 20-year period and that all the fund's assets would be spent by then.
The Gates Foundation and Cascade Asset Management couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Microsoft stock, which is down 11% this year, has become something of a battleground among prominent investors. This week, hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman said he had bought stock after the recent selloff, while TCI Fund Management, run by Chris Hohn, recently sold most of its $8 billion stake in the company.
Write to Adam Levine at adam.levine@barrons.com
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May 15, 2026 19:31 ET (23:31 GMT)
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