Latest news with #Bezos
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jeff Bezos's honeymoon plans involved a $5.7 billion Amazon share selloff
Jeff Bezos sold over $5.7 billion in stock between late June and July—including $735 million on his wedding day to Lauren Sánchez—under a prearranged trading plan. Despite the large selloff, Bezos still holds roughly 884 million Amazon shares and maintains a net worth of $252 billion. Recent SEC filings also revealed donations of over 600,000 shares to undisclosed nonprofits. Jeff Bezos's lavish wedding to Lauren Sánchez last month may have cost him a pretty penny—but even on the day of his nuptials the Amazon founder was generating millions. On June 27, the day Bezos and Sánchez said their vows, the billionaire sold millions of shares in online giant Amazon as part of a wider plan to offload stock. An SEC filing seen by Fortune shows that on June 27, Bezos sold more than 3.3 million Amazon shares at a price of between $221 and $223 a share. The resulting windfall for the transaction date of his wedding alone was $735 million, per Fortune calculations. And while other newlyweds might expect to see their wealth take a hit during their honeymoon, Bezos's wealth soared as he continued his selloff with six further Form 4 filings made between late June and late July. Between July 3 and 7, Bezos offloaded a further 3 million shares at approximately $224 apiece; on July 8 and 9 a further 500,000 shares were sold at a similar price; and between July 11 and July 14 sold a further 6.7 million shares for between $224 and $226 per share. On July 15, Bezos sold a further 733,000 shares for $227 each, and between July 21 and 22 offloaded a further 6.6 million shares at $227.5 to $229.5 each. The most recent transaction, from July 23 and July 24, also offloaded more than 4.1 million shares at between $228 to $233 apiece. The total selloff—and with Amazon stock up 5.5% over the past month alone—has netted Bezos some $5.7 billion in total, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates. It's easy to assume that offloading millions of shares would reduce Bezos's stake significantly in the company with a market cap of nearly $2.5 trillion. Not so, as the SEC filings reveal Bezos still owns approximately 884 million Amazon shares. This puts him roughly on a par with some of Amazon's largest institutional shareholders. Yahoo Finance, for example, reports Vanguard as the top institutional shareholder with 832 million shares. With Amazon stock up 26% over the past year, and up roughly 46% over the past half-decade, Bezos now sits on a net worth of $252 billion (per Bloomberg), making him the third-richest person on the planet. Maintaining distance Of course, Bezos himself isn't orchestrating the sales of millions of shares on a weekly basis. The SEC filings show the stock sales are occurring according to a SEC Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established in early May. The rule creates a standard practice for an officer of a publicly listed company to sell shares in a preplanned way, without accusations of insider trading. The 10b5-1 plan has a number of stipulations, chief among them that a formula (not a person) determines the number, price, and date of the trades. A third party who cannot be influenced by the client must also be employed to conduct the sales. Similar action has been taken by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai in recent weeks, who used 10b5-1 filings to offload shares while achieving a billionaire wealth status. But Bezos's SEC history also reveals the billionaire is offloading sales not only for wealth gain but also for philanthropy. On June 27, the same day Bezos's selloff began, Morgan Stanley filed a note on behalf of Bezos in a Form 144 filing. The filing reads, 'On May 13, May 14, and June 3, 2025, the reporting person contributed 633,812 shares to non-profit organizations, which may have sold such shares during the three months preceding the date of this Form 144.' The form does not reveal which organization received the shares. While Bezos has not signed the Giving Pledge (a commitment from the world's wealthiest to donate the majority of their fortune to philanthropy) he has publicly stated he intends to donate the majority of his wealth during his lifetime to philanthropic causes, telling CNN in 2022 he was 'building the capacity to be able to give away this money.' This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Jeff Bezos made $735 million off Wall Street during his wedding, but the real story is still unfolding
Most couples head into marriage with hearts full of love and honeymoon plans, but had another companion on his wedding day—Wall Street. On June 27, 2025, while exchanging vows with media personality Lauren Sánchez aboard his luxury superyacht Koru off Italy's Amalfi Coast, Bezos sold more than 3.3 million Amazon shares, netting $735 million, according to Fortune's review of SEC filings. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The sales didn't stop there. In the weeks following the wedding, the Amazon founder continued offloading stock, ultimately liquidating shares worth $5.7 billion between late June and late July, capitalising on Amazon's rising stock prices. Jeff Bezos wedding celebrations coincide with one of his biggest Amazon stock liquidations The wedding celebrations were marked by opulence, a yacht worth half a billion dollars, celebrity guests, and stunning Mediterranean scenery. Yet, alongside champagne toasts and romantic moments, Bezos was executing one of his largest stock selloffs in recent history. On the day of the wedding, shares were sold between $221 and $223. By July 24, 2025, Bezos had sold over 24 million shares, benefiting from Amazon's stock price surge beyond $233. Despite the massive liquidation, Bezos still holds 884 million Amazon shares, preserving his status as the company's largest individual shareholder and cementing his rank as the world's third-richest person, with an estimated net worth of $252 billion as reported by Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Jeff Bezos uses planned stock sales to avoid insider trading issues The selloff was not impulsive but executed under the SEC's Rule 10b5-1, which allows corporate executives to schedule share trades in advance. This system ensures trades are conducted at arm's length, reducing the risk of accusations related to insider trading. Other tech leaders, such as Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, have adopted similar trading frameworks. For Bezos, this reflects a strategic wealth management approach, balancing liquidity needs, market timing, and public perception while maintaining confidence in Amazon's long-term performance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Beyond wealth management, Bezos also made substantial charitable contributions. According to a Form 144 filing dated June 27, he donated 633,812 Amazon shares across May and June to undisclosed nonprofit organizations. This low-profile philanthropic move aligns with Bezos's stated goal of giving away most of his fortune over his lifetime. While he has not signed The Giving Pledge, as reported to CNN in 2022:'We are building the capacity to be able to give away this money.' These donations highlight Bezos's evolving focus on philanthropy, emphasizing capacity-building for impactful giving rather than publicized gestures. Jeff Bezos balances love, wealth, and giving Jeff Bezos's wedding week encapsulated three key elements of billionaire life—personal milestones, financial strategy, and social impact. By combining a lavish wedding with a preplanned stock selloff and discreet charitable donations, Bezos demonstrated how high-net-worth individuals manage liquidity events without alarming investors or drawing controversy. With Amazon stock surging, philanthropic commitments growing, and his wealth firmly intact, Bezos continues to influence global business, technology, and now even high-profile personal finance strategies. Also Read |
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
‘It's really hard to hide sloppy thinking': Why Jeff Bezos makes everyone read memos for 30 minutes before Amazon meetings, and what this approach teaches us
Imagine walking into a meeting, expecting a PowerPoint presentation, only to be handed a six-page document, and then sitting in silence for 30 minutes to read it. According to billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos, this isn't an unusual occurrence. 'Meetings at Amazon … are unusual,' he recently told podcaster Lex Fridman. 'For 30 minutes, we sit there silently together in the meeting and read, take notes in the margins. And then we discuss.' This approach isn't new. Bezos banned PowerPoint presentations in executive meetings as far back as 2004, replacing them with 'well-structured, narrative text.' The reasons? People weren't preparing, PowerPoint leaned too much on persuasion, and shallow thinking could hide behind slides. 'It's better just to carve out the time for people,' Bezos explained. 'So now we're all on the same page.' According to him, memos promote deeper thinking, truth-seeking, and more thoughtful conversation. 'When you have to write in complete sentences with narrative structure, it's really hard to hide sloppy thinking,' he said. Gurleen Baruah, organisational psychologist at That Culture Thing, tells ' Absolutely. Traditional meetings often lack clear agendas or rely on slides with bullet points, which don't require much thought. Many executives end up showing up unprepared simply because they are busy.' A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos) She continues, 'Bezos's approach, starting with a detailed memo, makes everyone slow down, focus, and enter the discussion informed and prepared. Full sentences demand clearer thinking than bullet points. This improves the quality of dialogue and decision-making. It's not just a meeting hack but a cultural shift that values preparation and depth over presentation.' According to Baruah, writing in complete sentences forces the author to think more clearly, connect dots, and structure arguments with logic and coherence. 'Research in cognitive psychology suggests that the act of writing deepens critical thinking and improves memory recall. A memo reveals gaps in reasoning that a flashy slide might gloss over. It invites feedback not just on the 'what' but on the 'why' and 'how.'' From a team dynamics standpoint, this kind of writing encourages intellectual honesty and thoughtful debate, rather than just performance or persuasion. 'Yes, a 'silent start' with written memos can absolutely work for smaller teams or non-corporate setups, sometimes even more effectively than in large organisations. But whether it works depends less on team size and more on cultural alignment. If an organisation values speed over thoughtfulness, or charisma over clarity, this method may feel slow or forced,' notes the expert. For memo-based meetings to succeed, leaders must model depth over performance and prioritise substance over style. Baruah concludes, 'It's not just about reading memos but building a culture where people are given time to think, where preparation is respected, and where the default isn't always 'move fast,' but 'decide well.' As with any change, consistency and clarity around the why is key.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Jeff Bezos made $735 million off Wall Street even on his wedding day. But that's not the whole story
While most couples embark on their honeymoon with packed bags and fluttering hearts, Jeff Bezos had an additional companion on his wedding day- Wall Street. On June 27, 2025, as he married media personality Lauren Sanchez , the Amazon founder quietly made $735 million by selling more than 3.3 million Amazon shares, according to Fortune , citing SEC filings. Yes, even amid champagne toasts and vows of forever, Bezos's fortune swelled. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MBA Data Analytics Project Management Data Science Others Product Management Finance MCA others Operations Management Degree PGDM Technology Artificial Intelligence Healthcare Management Leadership Cybersecurity Data Science healthcare Design Thinking CXO Digital Marketing Public Policy Skills you'll gain: Financial Management Team Leadership & Collaboration Financial Reporting & Analysis Advocacy Strategies for Leadership Duration: 18 Months UMass Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) Starts on May 13, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details And that was just the beginning. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo Over the weeks that followed, Bezos continued to trim his stake in Amazon, ultimately offloading stock worth a staggering $5.7 billion between late June and late July. The selloff occurred under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 trading plan filed in early May, which allows corporate executives to schedule trades in advance, shielding them from allegations of insider trading. Lavish Love, Lush Liquidity The wedding itself, held aboard Bezos's luxury yacht Koru off the Amalfi Coast, symbolized the couple's extravagant lifestyle. But the simultaneous financial move—a major liquidation of shares—adds an ironic twist to the celebrations. You Might Also Like: Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez's wedding had a Gujarati-origin Harvard grad guest. Who is Mona Patel? Check educational qualifications, career The shares sold on June 27 were priced between $221 and $223, Fortune's calculation shows. By July 24, Bezos had sold more than 24 million Amazon shares at steadily rising prices—peaking above $233—capitalizing on Amazon's recent market upswing. Yet despite the mammoth selloff, Bezos remains Amazon's largest individual shareholder, retaining around 884 million shares. With a current net worth of $252 billion (as per Bloomberg's Billionaires Index), he comfortably holds his spot as the world's third-richest person. What's the Plan, Jeff? The sales were not impulsive. The SEC's Rule 10b5-1 mandates a formulaic and arms-length approach to such trades. Once the plan is in place, neither Bezos nor his advisors can tweak the amount or timing, ensuring that insider information doesn't influence the transactions. A similar strategy has recently been employed by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who also used a 10b5-1 plan to orchestrate a sizable selloff. You Might Also Like: Natasha Poonawalla attends Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Venice wedding This mechanism suggests a deliberate wealth-management blueprint from Bezos—balancing liquidity, market timing, and optics. After all, few billionaires want their stock selloffs to look like sudden moves. The Quiet Side of Giving Alongside these blockbuster trades, Bezos has also quietly donated over 600,000 Amazon shares to unnamed nonprofit organizations. According to a Form 144 filing dated June 27 (the same day as his wedding), Morgan Stanley, filing on Bezos's behalf, reported contributions of 633,812 shares across May and June. The recipients of these generous gifts remain undisclosed, reflecting Bezos's relatively low-key approach to philanthropy—at least in terms of visibility. While he has not signed The Giving Pledge, the billionaire stated in a 2022 interview with CNN that he plans to give away the majority of his wealth over his lifetime. 'We are building the capacity to be able to give away this money,' he said at the time.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Jeff Bezos has sold $5.7 billion worth of Amazon stock since star-studded Venice wedding
Jeff Bezos sold an eye-popping $5.7 billion worth of Amazon stock since tying the knot with Lauren Sánchez last month, according to government filings. The sales began when Bezos disposed of $737 million around his weekend nuptials in Venice on June 27. The transactions were part of a trading plan for up to 25 million shares that he adopted earlier this year. The final portion of the 25 million share sale occurred Wednesday and Thursday, when Bezos sold approximately 4.2 million shares valued at $954 million. Advertisement 3 Jeff Bezos sold an eye-popping $5.7 billion worth of Amazon stock since tying the knot with Lauren Sánchez last month, according to government filings. Spread Pictures / MEGA These share sales occurred during a period of strong performance for Amazon stock, which has climbed 38% since hitting a recent bottom in late April. Market watchers are anticipating Amazon's upcoming earnings report as they evaluate whether the company's substantial artificial intelligence investments will generate returns. Bloomberg data indicates Bezos, who stepped down as the company's chief executive in July 2021, has now divested more than $50 billion worth of Amazon shares since 2002. Advertisement Despite these sales, the Amazon chairman maintains ownership of roughly 884 million shares, representing over 8% of the company. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranks him as the world's third-wealthiest individual, with his $252.3 billion net worth primarily derived from his Amazon holdings. The share transactions were completed through a 10b5-1 trading plan, a mechanism commonly employed by corporate executives to prevent potential insider trading violations. Advertisement 3 The Amazon founder and his bride wed during a star-studded event in Venice, Italy on June 27. @laurensanchezbezos via REUTERS Bezos has consistently sold Amazon shares over time, offloading 75 million shares in the previous year for $13.6 billion. The stock sales are often intended to direct proceeds toward funding his other business interests, including his space venture Blue Origin. Additionally, he donated shares valued at approximately $190 million to charitable organizations in 2025. Records dating back to 2002 show Bezos made only one Amazon stock purchase, acquiring a single share for $114.77 two years ago. Advertisement 3 Bezos, who stepped down as the company's chief executive in July 2021, has now divested more than $50 billion worth of Amazon shares since 2002. Sergio – Bezos' $5.7 billion in stock sales this year exceeds the divestiture amounts of other major corporate insiders, including Oracle Corp. CEO Safra Catz, who sold $2.5 billion worth of shares in the first half of the year, and Dell Technologies Inc.'s Michael Dell, who disposed of a $1.2 billion stake. Neither Amazon nor Bezos representatives provided immediate responses to requests for comment.
