Microsoft, Berkshire, And Waste Management Dominate Bill Gates' $44 Billion Foundation Portfolio

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation takes a highly concentrated approach to managing its endowment, with just three stocks accounting for 65% of its $44 billion equity portfolio, according to a document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last month.

Microsoft MSFT leads the foundation’s holdings at 28.5% of the portfolio, followed by Berkshire Hathaway BRK BRK at 21.2% and Waste Management WM at 15.4%, reflecting both Gates’ tech background and Warren Buffett’s influence on the foundation’s investment strategy.

Don't Miss:

Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – they all believe in one platform that offers a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends

Since its inception as a global health initiative in 1994, the foundation has distributed $47.7 billion over three decades, making Bill and Melinda Gates the second most generous philanthropists behind only Warren Buffett and his family, according to The Motley Fool.

Microsoft remains the largest position, with just under 28.5 million shares worth about $11.8 billion, stemming primarily from Gates’ 2022 donation of more than 38 million shares. The trust has benefited from the stock’s 70% surge since late 2022 amid growing AI investments.

According to The Motley Fool, Microsoft’s performance has been driven by its Azure cloud computing platform, which benefits from the company’s $13 billion investment in OpenAI, and the integration of AI features into enterprise software through various Copilot products.

Trending: The secret weapon in billionaire investor portfolios that you almost certainly don't own yet. See which asset class has outpaced the S&P 500 (1995-2024) – and with near-zero correlation.

Berkshire Hathaway is the second-largest holding, with 19.7 million Class B shares valued at approximately $9.5 billion. The shares come through Buffett’s annual donations, according to The Motley Fool, though the trust typically sells some positions yearly to comply with Buffett’s requirement that the foundation distribute his entire donation plus an additional 5% of its net assets annually.

Despite selling 11% of its Berkshire stake last quarter, the foundation has maintained a dominant position in the company, which recently surpassed a $1 trillion valuation.

Waste Management completes the top three holdings as one of the foundation’s longest-held investments. The company recently acquired Stericycle and forecasts 16% revenue growth for 2025.

The concentrated approach across technology, diversified holdings, and essential services has helped the foundation maintain its substantial endowment while continuing its global philanthropic mission.

Read Next: