Bill Gates owns $25 billion in blue-chip S&P 500 stock

Bill Gates' investment vehicle, Cascade Investment LLC, holds a massive $25.16 billion position in environmental services giant Republic Services (RSG), representing 112.8 million shares. This holding constitutes 53.75% of Cascade's total portfolio and gives the firm ownership of approximately 36.84% of Republic Services' outstanding shares. The concentrated bet heavily outweighs Cascade's other major holdings, including Deere & Co at $9.2 billion (19.66%) and Ecolab at $7.76 billion (16.58%). Republic Services has demonstrated robust operational performance and resilience, delivering second-quarter 2026 revenue growth of 4.6% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 4.5% with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.1%. Adjusted earnings per share reached $1.85, alongside $1.58 billion in adjusted free cash flow generated in the first half of the year. Following these strong results, management raised its full-year 2026 guidance, expecting annual revenue between $17.2 billion and $17.3 billion and adjusted EPS between $7.23 and $7.28, supported by durable customer retention exceeding 94% and consistent pricing power.