Bill Gates’ Current Portfolio: Top 5 Dividend Stocks

In this article, we will discuss top 5 dividend stocks in Bill Gates’ portfolio. If you want to read our detailed analysis of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust’s investment strategies and their performance over the years, go directly to read Bill Gates’ Current Portfolio: Top 10 Dividend Stocks. 

5. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL)

Bill Gates’ Stake Value: $759,538,485
Dividend Yield as of February 22: 1.34%

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) is a Minnesota-based chemicals company that specializes in the cleaning and hygiene of water in a variety of applications. On December 8, the company declared a 3.9% hike in its quarterly dividend to $0.53 per share. This marked the company’s 31st consecutive year of dividend growth. The stock has a dividend yield of 1.34%, as of February 22.

During the fourth quarter of 2022, Bill Gates’ hedge fund increased its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) by 8%. The fund’s total stake in the company amounted to nearly $760 million. The company made up 2.12% of Bill Gates’ portfolio.

In February, Wells Fargo raised its price target on Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) to $175 with an Overweight rating on the shares, highlighting the company’s pricing power.

As of the close of Q4 2022, 47 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned stakes in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL), up from 42 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of over $2 billion. Cantillon Capital Management is one of the company’s leading stakeholders in Q4.

ClearBridge Investments mentioned Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) in its Q3 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“We have focused our valuation discipline to reduce exposure to higher-multiple stocks most at risk of multiple compression in the current environment. Along these lines, while we remain constructive on the high returns on invested capital Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) earns in its core business, over the years its diversification has diluted this segment’s importance, and we feel less comfortable defending the position at current valuations.”