In this article, we will take a look at the 10 Best Stocks to Buy According to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.
Bill Gates has invested billions of dollars in stocks to fund the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, widely regarded as the world’s largest private foundation, formed through the merger of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation. According to the Trust, its aim is to address major humanitarian concerns such as poverty, a lack of opportunity, and infectious diseases. Over the past 30 years, Bill and Melinda have contributed an estimated $47.7 billion of their fortune to their foundation and predecessor. The foundation’s trust maintains a highly concentrated equities portfolio, reflecting the influence of Bill Gates and his longtime friend and former foundation trustee, Warren Buffett.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has set a record $8.74 billion budget for 2025, with intentions to increase yearly distributions to $9 billion the following year. Mark Suzman, the foundation’s CEO, stated that the record approval by its governing council is consistent with the foundation’s goal of a world “where everyone, everywhere, deserves the chance to live a healthy, productive life.”
Gates’ predictions for AI
Previously regarded as an aspect of science fiction, AI appears to have entered ordinary life and is now finding its way to consumers and businesses. Bill Gates predicts that by 2035, artificial intelligence will take over roles traditionally held by doctors, teachers, and other professionals, ushering in what he calls the era of “free intelligence.” According to Gates, this transition will result in rapid advancements in AI technology that will become firmly integrated into daily life, ranging from better healthcare solutions and more accurate diagnoses to broad access to AI tutors and virtual assistants.
However, while the potential is enormous, Gates admits that there are “understandable and valid” concerns about AI’s existing capabilities. In a 2023 blog post, he stated that even the most advanced AI systems make mistakes and can contribute to the spread of misinformation. Still, Gates is optimistic: if he were to establish a new firm today, he told CNBC Make It in September 2024, it would be an “AI-centric” startup.
Our Methodology
For this list, we picked stocks from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust’s 13F portfolio as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. These equities are also popular among elite hedge funds.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
10. Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:KOF)
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust’s Stake: $484 million
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 12
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:KOF), also known as Coca-Cola FEMSA, is a Mexican multinational beverage company headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico, and the Coca-Cola System’s largest public bottler by sales volume.
On March 17, Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:KOF) announced a $45 million investment in its production unit in Calle Blancos, Costa Rica. This project will enhance production capacity, improve logistics efficiency, and consolidate product supply in the country, all while increasing exports to markets such as Nicaragua and Panama.
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:KOF) reported a great fourth quarter of 2024. It raised revenue by 14.3% to MXN 75.5 billion (about $3.7 billion), owing to revenue management strategies and positive currency translation impacts. The company’s volume also increased by 2.2% year on year, hitting 1.08 billion unit cases during the quarter.
9. FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX)
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust’s Stake: $712.9 million
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 66
FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX), previously Federal Express Corporation and then FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding corporation specializing in transportation, e-commerce, and business services.
FedEx’s third-quarter fiscal year 2025 earnings release showed adjusted earnings per share of $4.51, slightly below the average expectation of $4.56. The company has lowered its full-year EPS guidance downward to a range of $18 to $18.60, citing persistent economic headwinds and cost increases. Analysts at JPMorgan, Stifel, and Raymond James have all adjusted their FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) price targets, which now range from $276 to $354, while retaining favorable ratings such as Overweight and Outperform.
Furthermore, FedEx’s DRIVE program saved $600 million in costs this quarter, ensuring it meets its annual target of $2.2 billion. The company is also moving forward with strategic projects like the Network 2.0 and the anticipated spin-off of its less-than-truckload (LTL) division.