Bill Gates to reduce 4.6 million shares of Microsoft stock

Summary: According to the transaction data just released today, Bill Gates sold 4.6 million shares of Microsoft shares at a 40.34 price per share on April 30, allowing Microsoft shares to be reduced to 330.1 million shares, less than the 333 million shares Ballmer holds, becoming Microsoft's second-largest

According to trading figures released today, Bill Gates sold 4.6 million shares of Microsoft shares at a 40.34-share price on April 30, leaving Microsoft's shares in the hands of 330.1 million shares, less than the 333 million shares Ballmer holds, becoming Microsoft's second-largest individual shareholder.

Since retiring, Bill Gates has sold 80 million shares of Microsoft shares every year to support the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, a charity that seeks to improve global health and basic education.

Bill Gates, who left Microsoft's CEO in 2000, stepped down as chairman of Microsoft's board in February, but said he would participate more actively in Microsoft's transformation as a technical advisor to Microsoft.