The Impacts of Investing $1,000 in Bill Gates' Portfolio with Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft

Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft: Key Holdings in Bill Gates' Portfolio

Bill Gates is widely recognized for his role as co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), but he is also an astute investor. His portfolio managed through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation emphasizes stable, dividend-paying businesses.

Performance Overview of Gates' Stocks

Notably, as of January 1, 2024, Microsoft comprised 28% of the foundation's investments, with Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) holding 23%. Other significant holdings included Waste Management (NYSE: WM) at 15%, and Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI) at 14%.

The following outlines the stock performance:

• Microsoft: Gained 13.96%
• Berkshire Hathaway: Gained 24.21%
• Waste Management: Gained 14.86%
• Canadian National Railway: Lost 18.26%

Consequently, a $1,000 investment split evenly among these four stocks would have generated an 8.69% return, culminating in a portfolio value of $1,086. This aligns closely with the average returns seen in the S&P 500, highlighting the Gates Foundation’s focus on stability and dividends rather than solely on capital appreciation.

Note: This overview simplifies the performance of Gates' larger portfolio and does not detail all holdings. For comprehensive investment strategies and financial performance, readers should consider in-depth analysis.