Bill Ackman Exits Alphabet to Increase Microsoft and Meta Stakes

Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, adjusted his firm's portfolio during the second quarter by closing its position in Alphabet. This exit occurred despite Alphabet reporting strong sales growth within its cloud computing segment.

Ackman shifted the firm's focus toward other artificial intelligence-driven technology companies, specifically increasing stakes in Microsoft and Meta Platforms. Both companies experienced stock price declines over the previous year. Microsoft reported fourth-quarter fiscal year 2026 revenue of $90 billion, with growth driven by its cloud business and the Foundry AI platform.

Meta Platforms is currently investing in personalized AI agents and exploring the rental of excess computing capacity. These strategic moves come as the company faces lawsuits regarding the addictive nature of its social media platforms and a recent decrease in free cash flow and earnings per share.