Tag: Jeff Bezos

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If I were a rich man

Super rich

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has overtaken Jeff Bezos as the world’s second-richest person

Zuckerberg’s wealth surged by $78 billion in 2024, a rise unmatched by any other member of the index’s 500 richest individuals, thanks to his 13% stake in Meta.

Throughout the year, Wall Street has applauded Meta as the company’s quarterly earnings have consistently exceeded analysts’ expectations.

On Thursday 3rd October 2024, Zuckerberg’s net worth hit $206.2 billion, as per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, surpassing the $205.1 billion fortune of the ex-Amazon CEO and president. The co-founder of Facebook is now approximately $50 billion behind Tesla’s Elon Musk, according to the index.

Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of 3rd October 2024

Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of 3rd October 2024

Fact: Apparently Mark Zuckerberg says he plans to give away 99% of his Facebook shares.

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Jeff Bezos sells nearly 12 million Amazon shares worth $2 billion

2 billion

Jeff Bezos filed a statement indicating his sale of nearly 12 million shares of Amazon stock worth more than $2 billion

The Amazon executive chairman notified the U.S. SEC – Securities and Exchange Commission of the sale of 11,997,698 shares of common stock on the 7th and 8th February 2024.

The collective value of the shares of Amazon, which is based in Seattle where he founded the company in a garage around thirty years ago, was about $2.04 billion.

More to come

In a separate SEC filing, Bezos listed the proposed sale of 50 million Amazon shares on or around 7th February 2024 with an estimated market value of $8.4 billion.

Taxing decision?

Jeff Bezos moved from Seattle to Miami in November 2023, shortly before he announced his plan to sell up to 50 million Amazon shares by January 2025. 

Florida does not have a capital gains tax, unlike Washington state, which imposes a 7% tax on any gains of more than $250,000 from the sale of stocks and bonds. Therefore, by moving to Florida, Bezos could save up to $600 million in taxes on his stock sale – more than enough for a luxury yacht and 2 or 3 more luxury properties.

But, of course, we do not know if this was the real reason for his move.

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Oxfam report says world’s five richest men have more than doubled their wealth in 3 years

Wealth

The world’s five richest men have increased their combined fortune from $405 billion in March 2020 to $869 billion in November 2023, according to a report from Oxfam.

Wealth increased at a rate of $14 million per hour for 5 people

A report by the charity highlighted the wealth of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, LVMH boss Bernard Arnault and family, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and investor Warren Buffett.

Oxfam is calling for restrictions on ‘corporate power’ to reduce the massive inequality between the super-rich and the rest of society. Two of the suggestions to correct the inequality is through capping CEO pay and introducing taxes on permanent wealth and excess profits.

This report was released to coincide with the Davos meeting as the rich and wealthy business leaders and bankers gather.

Oxfam says

  • Fortunes of five richest men have shot up by 114% since 2020.
  • Oxfam predicts the world could have its first-ever trillionaire in just a decade while it would take more than two centuries to end poverty. 
  • A billionaire is running or the principal shareholder of 7 out of 10 of the world’s biggest corporations.
  • 148 top corporations made $1.8 trillion in profits, 52% up on 3-year average, and dished out huge payouts to rich shareholders while hundreds of millions faced cuts in real-term pay.
  • Oxfam urges a new era of public action, including public services, corporate regulation, breaking up monopolies and enacting permanent wealth and excess profit taxes.

Full report here