This Is What Bill Gates' Portfolio Looks Like (2024)

Bill Gatesis the fourth-richest man in the world—after Tesla's Elon Musk (in first place), Amazon's Jeff Bezos (in second place), and Bernard Arnault (in third place) who oversees 70 brands. Gates has an estimated net worth of $129 billion, as of Jun. 2022.

Gates dropped out of Harvard University and became a technology entrepreneur after founding Microsoft Corporation in 1975. Over the decades, Gates successfully built his company into a major technology powerhouse, earning himself a fortune in the process.

Gates has since retired from the day-to-day functioning of Microsoft and focuses his efforts on his philanthropic causes through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These causes have included producing a malaria vaccine, gun control reform, and education reform. The Foundation has a substantial portfolio of investments. Its investment philosophy is to use capital from the Foundation to help businesses create solutions to complex and entrenched problems.

What Bill Gates' Portfolio Looks Like

The following are some of the Foundation’s most prominent holdings, including their market values as of the filing date of May 16, 2022, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

1. Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

The largest holding in the Foundation’s portfolio is Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (BRK.B). The Foundation holdsapproximately 28.7 million shares of Berkshire Hathaway with a market value ofjust over $10 billion.

Berkshire Hathaway is one of the largest companies in the S&P 500, with a market cap of$614.1 billion as of Jun. 24, 2022. The company was ranked seventh on the 2022 Fortune 500 list. Bill Gates has developed a very close relationship with Warren Buffett since they first met in 1991; Gates served on the Board of Directors of Berkshire Hathaway until March 2020. Both investors have signed a pledge to give away a significant portion of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

2. Waste Management, Inc.

Waste Management, Inc. (WM) is the second-largest holding in the Foundation’s portfolio. The Foundation owns over 18.6 million shares with a market value of $3.1 billion.

Waste Management is a provider of waste management and associated environmental services. It further develops and operates waste to energy and landfill gas to energy facilities in the United States. It is the largest waste management company in the country, with over 20 million customers. The company has a market cap of $62.4 billion as of Jun. 24, 2022, and was ranked 203rd on the 2022 Fortune 500 list.

3. Canadian National Railway Company

The third-largest holding in the Foundation’s portfolio is the Canadian National Railway Company (CNI). The Foundation has over 13.07 million shares with a market value of $1.75 billion.

Canadian National Railway provides integrated transportation services including rail, trucking, freight forwarding, andwarehousing. The company mainly transports petroleum products, grain and fertilizers, coal, metals, and automotive products.As of Jun. 24, 2022, it has a market cap of $78.64 billion.

4. Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) is the fourth-largest holding in the Foundation's portfolio. The Foundation holds over 7.35 million shares of Caterpillar, with a market value ofmore than $1.7 billion. Caterpillar is a manufacturer of heavy equipment used for mining, agriculture, and energy. Caterpillar has a market cap of $98.94 billion, as of Jun. 24, 2022, and was ranked 73rd on the 2022 Fortune 500 list.

5. Schrödinger, Inc.

Schrödinger, Inc. is the fifth-largest holding in the Foundation's portfolio, with more than 6.9 million shares and a market value of $238 million. The company is in the healthcare sector. Schrödinger has a market cap of $2.2 billion.