Overview
- The trust sold its remaining 7.7 million Microsoft shares in the first quarter of 2026, a roughly $3.2 billion stake disclosed in regulatory filings.
- This completes a phased reduction from about 28.5 million shares, including a cut in the third quarter of 2025 that trimmed nearly 65% of the position.
- Foundation representatives frame the move as diversification to manage concentration risk and to provide cash for grantmaking projected at about $9 billion this year.
- Following the exit, the trust’s portfolio is estimated at roughly $31.7 billion, reflecting a broader shift across assets.
- Microsoft shares rose about 3% to close near $421.92 as investors focused on the company’s heavy AI spending, including a reported five‑year $9.7 billion IREN deal and nearly $35 billion in recent capital outlays for chips and data centers.