Bill Gates, best known as the co-founder of Microsoft, has also built a reputation as a strategic investor through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, which manages one of the largest charitable portfolios in the world.
The Foundation’s holdings reflect Gates’ preference for resilient, moat-driven companies with strong long-term growth prospects, spanning technology, industrials, and consumer goods.
According to the Foundation’s 13F filing for Q1 2025, the trust oversees $41.8 billion across 25 stocks.
Bill Gates’ portfolio number 1 stock position
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) remains the largest holding, making up more than a quarter of the portfolio with 28.45 million shares valued at $10.68 billion. The stock has been a standout performer, climbing 36.09% from its reported purchase price of $375.39 to $510.88, just shy of its 52-week high of $514.64.
The second-largest position is Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B) , which represents 21.88% of the portfolio with 17.17 million shares worth about $9.14 billion. Notably, Gates scaled back this holding by 12.63% during the quarter, trimming exposure but maintaining it as a core part of the Foundation’s strategy. Berkshire is currently trading at $480.60, down nearly 10% from its reported price of $532.58, though it remains well above its 52-week low of $406.11.
Top 5 remains unchanged in the last year
Other major positions include Waste Management (NYSE: WM), which accounts for nearly 18% of the portfolio with 32.23 million shares worth $7.46 billion, trading at $230.61 and largely flat compared to the reported price.
Gates also holds a significant stake in Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI), with 54.82 million shares valued at $5.34 billion, a position that has seen a slight decline of just over 2% since the reported purchase price but continues to provide the portfolio with defensive exposure to transportation infrastructure.
Rounding out the top five is Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), where Gates owns 7.35 million shares worth $2.42 billion. The industrial giant has delivered strong returns, rising 30.24% since purchase to $429.52, near its 52-week high of $430.16.
The reduction in Berkshire Hathaway was the most notable move of the quarter, signaling a modest portfolio rebalance rather than a major strategic shift. Even with this adjustment, the portfolio remains anchored in high-quality, cash-generating businesses, it remains to be seen what adjustments the billionaire made in Q2.
