Jeff Bezos Discloses Plan to Promote As much as $4.8 Billion in Amazon Inventory
Seattle, WA – Might 2, 2025 – Jeff Bezos, founder and govt chairman of Amazon, has revealed plans to promote as much as 25 million shares of the corporate’s inventory over the subsequent yr, a transaction probably valued at roughly $4.8 billion at present market costs. The disclosure, detailed in a securities submitting on Friday, comes amid heightened scrutiny of Amazon’s monetary outlook and broader market uncertainties tied to new U.S. tariff insurance policies.
Based on the submitting, Bezos, who stepped down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, adopted the buying and selling plan on March 4, 2025, with gross sales scheduled to conclude by Might 29, 2026. This transfer follows his sale of roughly $13.5 billion in Amazon shares in 2024, marking his first important divestment since 2021. Regardless of these gross sales, Bezos stays Amazon’s largest shareholder, holding near 9% of the corporate, with a internet price estimated at $241 billion, in line with Forbes.
The announcement coincides with Amazon’s first-quarter earnings report, launched Thursday, which confirmed sturdy income of $155.7 billion, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $155.04 billion. Nonetheless, the corporate’s forecast for working earnings within the present quarter fell in need of Wall Avenue projections, reflecting warning resulting from President Donald Trump’s just lately imposed tariffs on imports, notably from China. These tariffs, which have elevated prices by 145% since Trump took workplace, are creating uncertainty for retailers like Amazon, with some retailers reportedly scaling again participation within the upcoming Prime Day occasion resulting from value issues.
The inventory sale plan additionally follows a public spat between Bezos and Trump. Earlier this week, Trump personally referred to as Bezos to protest a report that Amazon’s low-cost Haul unit was contemplating displaying tariff-related value will increase on its platform. Amazon swiftly denied the plan, with a spokesperson stating it was “by no means permitted” and wouldn’t be applied. Trump later praised Bezos, calling him a “good man” who “solved the issue in a short time,” signaling a brief détente of their traditionally contentious relationship.
Market reactions to the submitting had been blended. Amazon’s inventory, down 17% year-to-date, skilled volatility in premarket buying and selling however stabilized by noon. Analysts counsel the sale is unlikely to sign a insecurity in Amazon’s future, given Bezos’ long-term dedication to the corporate and his diversified investments in ventures like Blue Origin and numerous AI and robotics startups.
“Bezos promoting shares doesn’t shake Amazon’s basis,” mentioned David Materazzi, CEO of Galileo FX. “He’s offloaded important stakes earlier than, and the corporate has continued to thrive. That is extra about private monetary technique than a commentary on Amazon’s trajectory.”
The disclosure underscores Bezos’ ongoing efforts to liquidate parts of his Amazon holdings, a follow frequent amongst tech billionaires diversifying their wealth. In 2024, he bought roughly 78.5 million shares, decreasing his stake from 988.25 million to 909.71 million shares. The most recent plan, if totally executed, would additional trim his holdings however depart him firmly in management as Amazon’s high shareholder.
As Amazon navigates tariff-related challenges and invests closely in AI-driven infrastructure, Bezos’ inventory sale will seemingly stay below shut watch by traders and analysts. For now, the corporate continues to undertaking second-quarter internet gross sales between $159 billion and $164 billion, although it faces headwinds from each coverage shifts and aggressive pressures within the retail and cloud computing sectors.
Sources: CNBC, Reuters, Yahoo Finance
