Bill Gates’ foundation made a nearly $100 million bet on Bud Light

[jmyrlefuller]

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/09/06/investing/bill-gates-bud-light-shares/index.html

by Jordan Valinsky
September 6, 2023


Bud Light’s parent company is having a miserable year. But there’s at least one prominent investor who believes in Anheuser-Busch: Bill Gates’ foundation trust.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust last quarter bought 1.7 million shares of Anheuser-Busch, valued at around $95 million, according to a regulatory filing, signaling that Gates has confidence in the beer company that has been dealing with a steep sales slump of one of its biggest beers.

Gates’ foundation trust bought the stock around the time A-B reported earnings that fully encompassed the fallout from Bud Light’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

(excerpt)

[jmyrlefuller]

Bill Gates bailing out Bud Light with tax-exempt foundation money.

This is America.

[Kamaji]

Bill Gates bailing out Bud Light with tax-exempt foundation money.

This is America.

Hardly bailing out Bud Light; instead, getting a cheap deal on stocks in the secondary market from other stockholders who are too scared to continue holding said stock.  None of that money goes to AB.

[roamer_1]

He's gonna lose...

Unless Busch buys the brand back somewhere along the way...

[Smokin Joe]

He's gonna lose...

Unless Busch buys the brand back somewhere along the way...

Even if they do, they still have to sell tranny fluid to make it worth anything.

[DefiantMassRINO]

[roamer_1]

Even if they do, they still have to sell tranny fluid to make it worth anything.

No, I think if it's an American brand again, and the new owner came out and talked to the American People just right, I think it could all come back. Now, that '*Just Right* has to be just right... have to thread the needle... But it could be done... It would take a whole lot right now, done just so, with hella marketing behind it, but new ownership would wipe the slate, I think, with first steps being critical..

[Cyber Liberty]

They bought the stock at fire sale prices.   

[roamer_1]

They bought the stock at fire sale prices.   

Yabbut... Thinking it will go back up... There's your problem, right there.

[roamer_1]

It's been fun to see how the gap's been filled.

Clean across the southern US, Modelo has replaced Bud.
The Rockies and Dakotas went Coors (Dakotas surprised me there).
Wisconsin, Illinois, kinda over into the Rust Belt, Miller...

I don't remember it all, just interesting how the empire got carved up, with no real winner. You'd figger that 2nd best would just step up.

[jmyrlefuller]

It's been fun to see how the gap's been filled.

Clean across the southern US, Modelo has replaced Bud.
The Rockies and Dakotas went Coors (Dakotas surprised me there).
Wisconsin, Illinois, kinda over into the Rust Belt, Miller...

I don't remember it all, just interesting how the empire got carved up, with no real winner. You'd figger that 2nd best would just step up.

In Buffalo, it seems to be Labatt making the most inroads.

[jmyrlefuller]

Hardly bailing out Bud Light; instead, getting a cheap deal on stocks in the secondary market from other stockholders who are too scared to continue holding said stock.  None of that money goes to AB.

It does prop up the stock price and mitigates the effects of the boycotts/loss of favor. No different than what George Soros did with currencies.

[Kamaji]

It does prop up the stock price and mitigates the effects of the boycotts/loss of favor. No different than what George Soros did with currencies.

Whether it does or not, it is not the same thing as bailing out the company itself.  If anything, it's bailing out existing shareholders who are too scared to hold their stock for the long-term; long-term investing is precisely what a lot of foundations do.

[sneakypete]

He's gonna lose...

Unless Busch buys the brand back somewhere along the way...

@roamer_1

Not a chance.

At a MINIMUM,he will get most of it back from writing off the losses,and then still have the physical assets to sell off. It's a shell game played by the big boys.

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1

Not a chance.

At a MINIMUM,he will get most of it back from writing off the losses,and then still have the physical assets to sell off. It's a shell game played by the big boys.

He didn't buy assets @sneakypete ... he bought stocks

[Cyber Liberty]

He didn't buy assets @sneakypete ... he bought stocks

And "he" didn't buy shit.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation bought the stocks.  With funds from a tax-free organization.

[roamer_1]

And "he" didn't buy shit.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation bought the stocks.  With funds from a tax-free organization.

yeah... makes me wonder if MS pensions ain't  wrapped up in AB and it's something about that...

[Kamaji]

And "he" didn't buy shit.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation bought the stocks.  With funds from a tax-free organization.

And since it's a tax-free foundation, he cannot personally profit from it.  He - as in Bill Gates in his personal capacity - didn't by diddly shit.

[Lando Lincoln]

I’m sure the foundation could absorb a complete write-off if needed (won’t happen).  This is just a speculative investment for people who play with a lot of zeroes.

I was in Green Bay last week. Saw a couple of regular working guys loading Modelo in the back of their pick-up. I had not seen that before.

[roamer_1]

I was in Green Bay last week. Saw a couple of regular working guys loading Modelo in the back of their pick-up. I had not seen that before.

I've never seen Modelo in my life.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Modelo's advertising has been spot on.  They are certain how they want to present themselves, and they own it.  They are not trying to be all things to all people.

[GtHawk]

OMG! The Gates Foundation made a $100 million dollar bet, wow will they ever survive if they lose?

Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was launched in 2000 and is reported as of 2020 to be the second largest charitable foundation in the world, holding $69 billion in assets.[/b]

$100 million is the equavilent of pocket lint to the foundation.

[DefiantMassRINO]

I wish I had a Foundation with which to shelter and launder my ill-gotten wealth, like the Clintons.

[Polly Ticks]

It's been fun to see how the gap's been filled.

Clean across the southern US, Modelo has replaced Bud.
The Rockies and Dakotas went Coors (Dakotas surprised me there).
Wisconsin, Illinois, kinda over into the Rust Belt, Miller...

I don't remember it all, just interesting how the empire got carved up, with no real winner. You'd figger that 2nd best would just step up.

I'm seeing a lot of people buying Modelo in my area, but also quite a bit of Yuengling.

[roamer_1]

I'm seeing a lot of people buying Modelo in my area, but also quite a bit of Yuengling.

that's all a Southern (and desert SW) thing... I have never seen either one. 
But like I said, and of course, the Rockies went Coors. Modelo has no presence up in here, and neither does Yuengling.

But Yuengling IS on the map... Deep South IIRC, mostly Florida/Georgia line... kinda