Amazon’s founder and billionaire, Jeff Bezos, has made headlines once again with his recent sale of $4 billion worth of Amazon stock in just one week. This brings the total value of shares he has offloaded to an impressive $190 billion, according to regulatory filings. Bezos, who stepped down as the company’s CEO in 2021 but remains executive chair, sold 12 million shares for approximately $2 billion between Friday and Monday, as revealed in an Amazon filing on Tuesday. This follows earlier sales of about 12 million shares, also totaling roughly $2 billion, last week.
Despite these sales, Bezos still holds the title of Amazon’s largest shareholder, with a stake of about 9 percent, even after the recent transactions. It is worth noting that Bezos had announced in February that he planned to sell up to 50 million Amazon shares through broker Morgan Stanley by the end of January 2025. With a net worth of $190 billion, Bezos ranks among the world’s richest individuals, according to Forbes.
The news of Bezos’ stock sales comes at a time when Amazon’s share price has experienced significant growth. Over the past 12 months, the company’s shares have soared by more than 50 percent, reaching close to their all-time high. This rally has also propelled Amazon’s market capitalization to an impressive $1.75 trillion. Despite these impressive figures, Amazon declined to comment on Bezos’ recent stock sales.
Bezos’ decision to step back from running Amazon and focus on other ventures, such as his space group Blue Origin, has been well-documented. In a December interview with researcher and podcast host Lex Fridman, Bezos explained that Blue Origin needed to be faster, which was one of the reasons he left his role as CEO of Amazon a couple of years ago. However, Blue Origin has faced challenges in competing with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. In 2022, a Blue Origin rocket failed shortly after launch, leading to the suspension of further launches. Nevertheless, the company successfully completed a space mission in December, and Bezos remains committed to its success.
Aside from his ventures in space exploration, Bezos is also known for his ownership of The Washington Post newspaper and his philanthropic efforts through the Bezos Earth Fund. Recently, he has drawn attention for reportedly relocating from Seattle to Miami and for his luxurious lifestyle, which includes yachts and private jets. This lifestyle stands in contrast to the more frugal profile he maintained while overseeing Amazon’s rapid expansion.
In conclusion, Jeff Bezos’ recent sale of $4 billion worth of Amazon stock has once again put him in the spotlight. As he continues to explore new ventures and focus on his space group Blue Origin, Bezos remains a prominent figure in the business world. With his net worth of $190 billion and his position as Amazon’s largest shareholder, Bezos’ actions will undoubtedly continue to shape the future of both Amazon and the industries he ventures into.