Gates drinks! "Bottom fishing" in Budweiser, becoming the ninth largest shareholder, just invested in Heineken at the beginning of the year.
Although Anheuser-Busch InBev is in crisis, Bill Gates remains confident in this bet.
After acquiring shares in Heineken, Bill Gates once again invests in Anheuser-Busch, doubling down on the beer industry.
According to regulatory documents, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has purchased 1.7 million shares of Anheuser-Busch, valued at approximately $95 million (equivalent to 696 million RMB), making Bill Gates the company's ninth-largest shareholder.
Anheuser-Busch is the largest beer brewing company in the United States, with 12 breweries nationwide and well-known brands such as Budweiser, Michelob, and the Busch family. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch merged with the Belgian company InBev, becoming the world's largest beer brewing group.
In April of this year, Anheuser-Busch faced consumer boycotts due to a failed advertising campaign, resulting in a 10% decline in second-quarter revenue in the United States. Its title as the "king of beers" was overtaken by the Mexican beer brand Modelo Especial.
Although Bill Gates has stated that he is "not a big beer drinker," this is not his first investment in the beer industry. In February of this year, the Gates Foundation acquired a 3.76% stake in the Dutch beverage giant, Heineken, valued at a staggering $939 million (approximately 6.88 billion RMB). Following this investment, Heineken's stock price fell by about 10%, while the overall market rose by 10%.
According to the latest earnings report, the trust fund under the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is valued at $69 billion, with a per-share price of approximately $59.89 (equivalent to 438.92 RMB). Currently, the stock is trading at a 6% discount, approximately $56.24 (equivalent to 412.17 RMB).
A former executive at Anheuser-Busch considers Bill Gates' investment to be a "mistake": "If I were seeking advice on investing in software companies or tech companies, I might go to Bill Gates. But if you're focused on the beer industry, he doesn't have a good track record as an investor in this field."