Bill Gates has acquired a minority stake in Heineken Holding NV, the controlling shareholder of the worlds second-largest brewer, for about $902 million.
The Microsoft founder and philanthropist last week picked up 3.8% of Heineken Holding, according to a filing by the Dutch regulator AFM. He bought 6.65 million shares in Heineken Holding, in his individual capacity, and another 4.18 million shares through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.
The shares are valued at 848.2 million ($902 million), according to Bloomberg calculations at closing share price value of February 17.
Gates acquired the stake on the same day that Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB launched a 3.7 billion stock and equity-linked sale for part of its holdings in Heineken. Femsa, as the Mexican Coca-Cola bottler and convenience store operator is known, had last week announced plans to offload its stake in Heineken after a strategic review.
Femsa said its accelerated bookbuild offering of 1.9 billion in shares in Heineken NV priced at 91 apiece, and 1.3 billion in shares in Heineken Holding sold at 75 each. Heineken Holding controls 50% of Heineken NV, maker of the namesake beer as well as Amstel, Moretti, and Sol among others.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust foundation has also invested in Dutch online grocer Picnic BV and holds a 1.34% stake in Dutch fertilizer producer OCI NV.
The foundation has long been a powerhouse in the nonprofit world, employing almost 1,800 people and spending nearly $80 billion since 2000. Heineken and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.
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