Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon and one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, has revealed plans to sell up to 25 million Amazon shares—worth approximately $4.75 billion—over the next two years.
The announcement was made in a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), outlining a pre-arranged trading plan that will see the share sales conclude by May 2026.
At Amazon’s closing price of $190 per share on Thursday, the planned divestiture represents a substantial move by Bezos, who stepped down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021 and has since taken a more hands-off approach to the company’s day-to-day operations.
The sale comes as part of an SEC Rule 10b5-1 plan, which allows company insiders to sell shares over time at pre-determined intervals, helping avoid allegations of insider trading.
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The timing of the disclosure aligns closely with Amazon’s recent earnings guidance, which has stirred some concern among investors. In an announcement made late Thursday, Amazon warned that its upcoming earnings may fall short of Wall Street expectations.
The company cited growing global trade tensions—particularly those stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies—as a key factor weighing on its growth outlook.
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Amazon pointed to economic uncertainty, shifting tariffs, and supply chain disruptions as reasons for the cautious forecast. These factors, the company said, have started to impact consumer behavior and the global flow of goods—both crucial to Amazon’s vast e-commerce and cloud businesses.
Bezos’s decision to offload a portion of his Amazon stake may signal a strategic response to these market headwinds.
Though he remains one of the company’s largest shareholders, his gradual retreat from corporate leadership and significant share sales reflect a broader transition into other ventures, including space exploration through Blue Origin and philanthropic efforts via the Bezos Earth Fund.
As the global economic landscape continues to evolve, especially in light of political shifts and trade disputes, Amazon and other multinational corporations are bracing for further turbulence. Investors will be closely watching both Bezos’s share sales and Amazon’s performance to gauge the longer-term implications of ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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