“Bill Gates, chairperson and co-founder of Microsoft, sold 4 million shares of the software giant’s stock over the last three days of February, bringing his total sales for the month to 20 million, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,” FIN24 reports.
“Gates still owns 917.5 million shares of Microsoft after the share sales, according to the filings. This represents about 9.2% of total diluted shares outstanding as of December 31,” FIN24 reports.
FIN24 reports, “For the month of February, Gates had sold 20 million shares of Microsoft stock to raise about $580m, the filings say.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Bizarro Ballmer” for the heads up.]
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Apple’s sales to eclipse Microsoft’s by 2010? – February 08, 2007
Bill Gates unhinged with Apple envy; Microsoft on path to become high profile casualty – February 06, 2007
Bill Gates has lost his mind: calls Apple liars, copiers; slams Mac OS X security vs. Windows – February 02, 2007
I dumped microsoft years ago. Wander what he needs the cash for… maybe gettin while the gettins good.
Bill Gates has been slowly dumping M$ stock for some time now.
He knows the computer future and it doesn’t include his sorry a$$.
Just think, he makes 4 million dollars a day in interest, why is he dumping M$ stock?
Hardly dumping…
I agree with killBill,
The title is quite misleading
Wow, just like that he raised 1/2 a billion.
The guy creates buggy software and steals the rest, but you got to admit, he did create a big company. Amazing his net worth is 50 billion. Amazing he got Buffet to give him more money.
I don’t like the guy and I don’t like his company, but I amazed at how much money he has accumulated.
MW: Bill
No Joke! This is getting creepy.
needed some pocket change.
No more $1mill bills to be found under the cushions of his couch.
I have reasonable faith that Gates will continue to put a significant amount of money into his foundation, which is a positive force in the world.
Maybe he needs money to buy AAPL?
As he doesn’t need the money (still being the richest nerd on the planet), why did he sell the shares?
Getting out while the stock’s still worth something..?
I’m buying Apple Stock you morons.
A positive force for the Dark Side, you mean. It’s the here’s a wonderful french pastry given to you with one hand and the slap in the face with the other. Which one do yo believe is remembered?
Rats leaving the sinking ship…
Diversification. Gates’ Microsoft stock valuation as of this writing is approximately $25.5 Billion.
Based on the current price, his holdings come to some $25.5 Billion. (Contra Seinfeld, there *is* something wrong with that!) This sale may be part of a diversification move (given that MSFT has stagnated for at least the last six years), but I doubt he’s in the $50 Billion range any longer. Ballmer himself still holds billions in MSFT shares, so those who talk of him being shown the door are rather naive. He’ll leave when he’s good and ready. So much the better.
It’s not as though he was getting rid of a large percentage of his stock. It’s always wise to diversify your investment portfolio, even if you believe in the investment. It’s akin to the old adage “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.
The rats do play from time to time – and Billy Boy is the lead rat at M$!
Well at least you can’t say he doesn’t know when to get off a sinking ship!
Wonder if he used Vista to do the evil deed?
good ole’ Bill sells MSFT stock every single month. The insider trading disclosures to the SEC are public record. Even at 20 Mil a month sold, it would still take him an addtional 4 years to completely divest. It has nothing to do with Bill’s view as microsoft, as far as I can tell, he belives all the crap he spews about Vista and MSFT. The sales are for the foundation. I’m sure you will be surprised to find out that starving people don’t like to get a share of MSFT stock in place of food.
‘Gates dumps Microsoft stock.’ What a funny word. I dump, you dump, he she dumps, they dump, it dumps ..we all dump don’t we.
I’m not sure but I think I feel better, now. Not like 20 million better but like a Redmond good enough better.
That photo of Bill Gates always cracks me up! The other photo that always kills me, too, is the one with Gates and Ballmer smiling and the fake “Your Frustration, Our Fault”.
Whatever the reason, I wouldn’t interpret it as a positive signal for Microsoft. If with his massive wealth he were buying..then that would be a different matter.
‘Gates dumps Microsoft stock’
Misleading. Should read
‘Gates Zunes Microsoft Stock’
There, all better.
you’re criticizing him for selling shares when the stock is up like 50% over the past year?
he doesn’t even work there anymore.. way overblown. I’d do the same.
I think he’s getting ready to buy some iPhones.
I think he has been dumping the stock as fast as he can without raising too many eyebrows, that’s what I think. Meanwhile he’s talking M$ up.
Poor Bill. Now the U.S. Government Bans Vista and Office 2007, http://blogs.business2.com/beta/2007/03/us_government_b.html