Bill Gates Bets On Bud Light Comeback, Acquires $95 Mln In Anheuser-Busch Shares

(RTTNews) - Bill Gates is placing his bets on a Bud Light comeback by acquiring $95 million worth of Anheuser-Busch shares through The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, according to a regulatory filing.

Anheuser-Busch stock took a hit after its association with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney ignited a controversy.

The company sent a can commemorating "365 days of girlhood" to Mulvaney, which sparked a backlash from conservative customers who initiated a boycott. On the other hand, the company's response upset members of the LGBTQ community.

Following the boycott, Anheuser-Busch InBev experienced a decline in profits and had to lay off hundreds of workers. Their sales to US retailers plummeted by 14%, largely attributed to reduced Bud Light sales.

Consequently, Bud Light, which had held the title of best-selling beer in the US for 22 years, lost its annual top spot to Modelo Especial in 2023.

Nevertheless, Bill Gates is expressing optimism that Bud Light can stage a comeback and regain its leading position. Despite his confidence, Gates has not yet realized a return on his investment.

Interestingly, although Microsoft founder Bill Gates admitted in a 2018 Reddit Q&A that he wasn't a significant beer enthusiast, he has previously invested in beer brands.

Recently, he acquired 10.8 million shares, valued at $939.87 million at the time of Heineken Holding NV, giving him a 3.76% stake in the Dutch beverage company.

A recent survey by Deutsche Bank suggests that American consumers are gradually returning to Bud Light and moving away from their boycott of the brand.