The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has finalized its phased exit from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) by selling its remaining stake in the tech giant.
The Gates Foundation’s trust offloaded its final 7.7 million shares of Microsoft during the first quarter of 2026, according to 13-F filings disclosed on Friday. The shares were worth roughly $3.2 billion as per the software giant’s closing price on Friday.
The foundation’s trust initiated its Microsoft stake reduction approximately two years ago, when it held close to 28.5 million shares. The most substantial cutback happened in 2025’s third quarter, with the trust selling nearly 65% of its position.
The remaining Microsoft stake was sold in early 2026, ending a long-standing investment that had shaped the foundation’s finances since its founding. Following the exit, the Gates Foundation Trust’s portfolio is estimated to be worth about $31.7 billion.
Notably, Bill Gates personally still reportedly owns about 103 million Microsoft shares outside the foundation trust, according to Barrons.
Gates Exit, Ackman Steps In
The Gates Foundation’s exit from Microsoft aligns with Bill Gates’ announcement in May 2025 of his plans to shut down the Gates Foundation in 20 years. This decision marked a shift from the original plan to continue the foundation’s work for decades post the founders’ demise.
Melinda French Gates endorsed the foundation’s decision to allocate its entire $200 billion endowment to global health by 2045. She emphasized that the foundation’s resources were always intended to be given back to society.
Interestingly, the foundation’s exit from Microsoft coincides with Bill Ackman’s recent investment in the tech company, terming the stock as having a ‘highly compelling valuation”. Ackman revealed that his hedge fund, Pershing Square (NYSE:PS), picked up a position in the software giant after the stock’s pullback, while exiting its long-held stake in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) to help finance the purchase. The firm said Microsoft’s recent decline enabled it to buy the stock at about 21 times forward earnings, which it views as an attractive valuation compared to the company’s historical levels.
Benzinga’s Edge Rankings place Microsoft in the 93rd percentile for quality and the 58th percentile for growth, reflecting its strong performance in both areas. Benzinga’s screener allows you to compare MSFT’s performance with its peers.
MSFT Price Action: On a year-to-date basis, Microsoft stock declined 10.79%, as per Benzinga Pro. On Friday, the stock climbed 3.05% to close at $421.92.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: bluestork/Shutterstock
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