Jeff Bezos Ex-Wife Trims Amazon Stake by 42% Worth $12.5B; Still Richer Than When She Inherited Them in 2019

MacKenzie Scott offloaded 42% of her Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) holdings, or 58 million shares, over the past year, worth about $12.5 billion (£9.3 billion), considering a stock price of $216.39 (£162.05) on 14th October. The latest figures mark Scott's largest share reduction since her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019.

A regulatory filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission showed that Scott held 81.1 million Amazon shares as of 30th September, down from 139.1 million shares a year earlier. However, Bezos exercises sole voting authority over Scott's current Amazon stock holdings.

While the regulatory filing doesn't indicate whether the decline in holdings was due to stock sales or charitable transfers, it marks a major shift for one of the most generous philanthropists.

Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon worth $36 billion (£26.9 billion) in her 2019 divorce from Bezos. Over the years, she has donated over $19.2 billion (£14.3 billion) to over 2,450 nonprofit organisations through her Yield Giving foundation, supporting a variety of causes. In 2024 alone, Scott donated around $2 billion (£1.5 billion) in gifts to 199 organisations. Her donations support education programmes, healthcare projects, and women's rights organisations. Scott became popular for her no-strings-attached giving strategy.

Her philanthropic approach is notable for its speed and simplicity. Scott offers unrestricted grants to small and mid-sized nonprofit organisations, allowing them to utilise the funds as they see fit.

'Generosity is generative. Sharing makes more,' she had stated in 2021. 'Each unique expression of generosity will have value far beyond what we can imagine or live to see.'

Scott has maintained an unusually low public profile. She seldom gives interviews or comments on her donations.

Despite Scott giving away her wealth over the past years, she is still wealthier than when she left her marriage in 2019. The reason is that the Amazon stock price has more than doubled since early 2019, boosting her residual holdings considerably. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Scott has a net worth of $41.2 billion (£30.8 billion).

Bezos Remains Amazon's Top Shareholder

A separate filing with the SEC also showed that Bezos still remains the largest individual shareholder of Amazon. He is also known for frequently making donations to non-profit organisations. Bezos himself runs non-profit funds, foundations, and preschools aimed at climate change and education. He has sold billions worth of Amazon stock this year and in 2024. However, reports emerged that he also uses the proceeds from the sale to fund his ventures, including Blue Origin.

A major stock sale this year also coincided with his marriage to Lauren Sanchez. The timing of the stock sale and Bezos' marriage led experts to speculate that the financial move was related to a prenuptial agreement he reportedly signed with Sanchez before their marriage. According to California attorney Alphonse Provinziano, the prenup would have likely included documentation of Bezos' businesses, stock portfolio, and potential liabilities, ensuring there are no legal grey areas in case of a future dispute.

Analysts polled by TipRanks have a 'strong buy' rating on the stock with an average 12-month stock price target of $267.25 (£200.14) per share, implying a potential upside of over 23% from current trading levels. Mizuho Securities has the highest price target of $300 (£224.66) per share.

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