Thursday, November 20, 2008

Bill Gates The Value Investor


It looks like Bill Gates  co-founder of Microsoft is also a value player. Gates controls a holding company named Cascade Investments which has been around for 14 years.  Currently Cascade Investments holds a diverse basket of 18 stocks. These businesses range from a railroad to a soft drink bottling company. It certainly looks like Cascade Investments is modeled in some ways like Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway(BRKA,BRKB) excluding the insurance companies. In a recent 13F filing Gates added to his position in Republic Services(RSG) upping his stake to nearly 20% of the company. Republic Services is one of the United States leading waste providers. The largest holding in the portfolio is Canadian National Railway(CNI) which Gates owns about 7% of the common shares. He also upped his stake in Fomento Economico Mexicano,SAB de SV(FMX) which produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages as well as SOL Beer. He now holds 5.9% of the common shares of Fomento. His newest holdings which are rather small purchases include AutoNation(AN), Patriot Coal(PCX) and Strategic Hotels &Resorts(BEE).  Interesting to note is that Buffett and Gates own some significant stakes in the rails. It also looks like Gates took a page out of Peter Lynch's One Up On Wall Street and invested in a boring and disgusting business that being Republic Services. Whats next for the King of Software?


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2 comments:

  1. It's good to be the King.

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  2. Does seems this way but its a shame Gates doesn't invest himself. Would be interesting to see how he does.

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