Bill Gates Takes 5.2% EK Stake; A Look At His Holdings

Is there still hope for Eastman Kodak (EK)?

The company continues to struggle with the rapid transition of the photography market to digital images from film. Kodak’s Q4 sales were down 24% from a year ago, and ongoing losses have the Street worried about its long-term viability. And Kodak, like many companies, is scrambling to cut costs, recently announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs.

Nonetheless, it turns out this morning that the company has attracted no less a fan than Bill Gates. In a filing with the SEC, the Microsoft co-founder disclosed a 5.2% stake in the company’s shares, with positions held by both Cascade Investment, his investment arm, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In another filing this morning, Cascade provided a list of its largest holdings; here are all the stock in which it holds at least $10 million worth of securities:

• Canadian National Railway (CNI), $1.279 Billion.


• Republic Services (RSG), a trash hauler, $879 million.


• Fomento Economico Mexicano, (FMX) a Mexican bottler known as FEMSA, $678 million.


• Berkshire Hathaway (BRK), run by Bill’s pal Warren Buffett, $391 million.


• Grupo Televisa (TV), Mexican media play, $301 million.


• AutoNation (AN), operator of auto dealiers, $112 million.


• Otter Tail (OTTR), an electric power company, $79 million.


• PNM Resources (PNM), another electric power company, $71 million.


• Kodak (EK), $52.3 million.


• Western Asset/Claymore Inflation-Linked Securities & Income Fund (WIA), a closed end fund, $49 million.


• Western Asset/Claymore Inflation- Linked Opportunities & Income Fund (WIW), another closed end fund, $46 million.


• Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF), $37.3 million.


• Patriot Coal (PCX), $15.1 million.