Alphabet, Disney, Amazon: Top 20 Global Firms In Which George Soros Has Invested

Soros Fund Management, founded by George Soros in 1970, has invested in top firms including Alphabet, Amazon, Netflix, Walmart, and T-Mobile.

George Soros was born in Hungary in 1930 and survived the Nazi occupation before fleeing to England to study economics. ( Image Source :Getty )

George Soros (92), the controversial billionaire investor, philanthropist, and political activist, known for using his wealth to promote pro-democracy movements in different countries, has invested in several big companies over the years. Recently, it was reported that George Soros' family office dumped its entire stake in Elon Musk's Tesla during the first quarter of 2023.

A report by Market Insider, citing a 13F filing by Soros' investment management company Soros Fund Management, said that Soros initially purchased 42,000 shares of Tesla in 2022 and later increased their holdings to 132,000 shares. By offloading that position, the fund likely enjoyed significant gains from the surge in the EV maker's stock price this year, the report said. But soon after Soros' stance on Tesla became public, Musk tweeted a comparison between Soros and Magneto, an X-Men comic book character with the capacity to create and manipulate magnetic fields. Musk said of Soros, "Soros reminds me of Magneto."

Soros was born in Hungary in 1930 and survived the Nazi occupation before fleeing to England to study economics. He went on to become one of the most successful investors in history, founding Soros Fund Management in 1970, which has invested in many major companies such as Alphabet, Amazon, Netflix, Walmart, and T-Mobile over the years, among others.

Here's a list of Top 20 firms George Soros has invested  

1. Alphabet Inc

Alphabet Inc. is a multinational conglomerate and parent company of Google and various other subsidiaries. Its successful companies include Google, YouTube, and Verily Life Sciences. Some of Alphabet’s most successful companies include Google, YouTube, Verily Life Sciences (formerly known as Google Life Sciences), Calico, GV (formerly known as Google Ventures), CapitalG (formerly known as Google Capital), X (previously called Google X), and Nest Labs. 

2. Amazon.com, Inc

Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational e-commerce and cloud computing giant headquartered in Seattle. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, it operates in over 30 countries. It's the world's largest e-commerce company and owns Amazon Web Services (AWS), the largest cloud platform. Amazon also produces consumer electronics like Kindle and Fire TV.

3. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase is the largest US bank, founded in 2000 by the merger of JPMorgan Chase and Bank One. It offers financial services in over 60 countries, with assets exceeding $2 trillion. The company has various subsidiaries, including JPMorgan Asset Management, Investment Banking, and Private Bank.

4. Netflix Inc

Netflix is an American multinational streaming service provider. It is the world's largest streaming service with over 222 million subscribers in over 190 countries. 

5. Disney Walt Co.

The Walt Disney Company is a global entertainment company with a brand value of over $50 billion. It owns a variety of businesses, including media networks, studios, parks and resorts, consumer products, and interactive media. It operates in more than 40 countries.

6. Nike Inc

Nike, Inc. is a US-based multinational corporation based in Beaverton, Oregon, founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. It operates in more than 170 countries and is the world's largest sportswear manufacturer. Nike produces a range of products, including footwear, apparel, and equipment, and owns subsidiaries such as Converse, Hurley, and Jordan Brand.

7. Walmart Inc

Walmart is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores. The company was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton and is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. With operations in over 25 countries, Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue, employing over 2 million people globally. 

8. General Motors Company

General Motors Company (GM) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, founded in 1908 by William C. Durant. It operates in over 125 countries, leading the automotive industry in vehicle design, manufacturing, and sales. GM also offers financing, leasing, and insurance services via its subsidiary, General Motors Financial Company. 

9. Qualcomm Inc

Qualcomm Inc. is a US-based multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company located in San Diego, California, established in 1985 by Irwin Jacobs and Andrew Viterbi. The company has operations in more than 40 countries and is a prominent developer of wireless technology and chipsets for mobile devices. 

10. T-Moblie Us Inc

T-Mobile US, Inc. is a US wireless network operator based in Bellevue, Washington. Originally founded as VoiceStream Wireless PCS in 1994, it was renamed T-Mobile USA, Inc. in 2002. T-Mobile is the third-largest wireless carrier in the US, with over 86 million customers, providing voice, text, and data services via its LTE network. 

11. WayFair Inc

Wayfair Inc. is an American e-commerce company, established in 2002 by Niraj Shah and Steve Conine and based in Boston, Massachusetts. Wayfair provides a wide range of home furnishings and décor items, while Joss & Main focuses on more affordable products. 

12. Salesforce Inc

Salesforce.com, Inc. is a cloud-based software company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1999 by Marc Benioff and Parker Harris and provides enterprise software products. Its flagship product is customer relationship management (CRM) software which helps businesses manage customer data. 

13. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing 

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing company that was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan. TSMC is the world's largest contract semiconductor manufacturer and offers a range of services including foundry, mask making, packaging, testing, and assembly. The company operates in Taiwan, China, the United States, Europe, and Asia. 

14. Opendoor Technologies Inc 

Opendoor is a San Francisco-based real estate technology company that enables people to buy and sell homes online. It was founded in 2014 and provides various services such as home buying, selling, financing, and remodeling. Opendoor also owns other subsidiaries including Open Listings and Knock.

15. Airbnb

Airbnb is a San Francisco-based online marketplace for booking accommodations worldwide, including apartments, houses, and villas. It was founded in 2008 and operates in over 190 countries. Airbnb also owns Luxury Retreats and Ennismore.

16. Liberty Broadband 

Liberty Broadband is a Denver-based American telecom company founded in 2013 by John C. Malone. It provides high-speed Internet, video, and voice services to residential and business customers and operates a nationwide fiber network. 

17. Aramark

Aramark is a Philadelphia-based food service, facilities, and clothing company with operations in 22 countries. The company offers food, beverage, and facilities management services to clients in various industries, including education, healthcare, and sports. 

18. Accenture plc

Accenture is a global professional services company. It provides consulting, technology, and outsourcing services to clients in various industries. Accenture is one of the largest professional services companies in the world.

19. Caesars Entertainment Inc.

Caesars Entertainment Inc. is a gaming and hospitality company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, founded in 1937 by William F. Harrah. With operations in 13 countries, it is the largest gaming company in the world, owning over 50 properties, including Caesars Palace and Harrah’s. It also owns the World Series of Poker.

20. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an American biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1992 by Steven A. Bellovin and has operations in over 50 countries. Alexion Pharmaceuticals is a leading developer of therapies for rare diseases. 

Investment In Indian Companies 

Soros' wealth management company has invested in Indian firm Freshworks, the only Indian software-as-a-service (SaaS) unicorn to be listed on Nasdaq. Soros has also indirectly invested in other Indian companies and is plugged into the local startup ecosystem through SONG Investment Company, a $17 million early-stage fund backed by Soros Economic Development Fund, Omidyar Network, and Google, The Centre for Emerging Market Solutions at the Indian School of Business is a strategic partner of the fund, according to a report by Fortune. Although Soros has no direct investments in India, he maintains a presence in the country through his investments, the report said. 

According to the 13F filing, Soros wealth management firm also has sponsored ADR in Infosys, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank. A sponsored ADR is an American depositary receipt (ADR) that a bank issues on behalf of a foreign company whose equity serves as the underlying asset. ADRs allow US investors to invest in non-US companies and give non-US companies easier access to the US capital markets.

Political Activism

In addition to his financial success, Soros is also known for his extensive philanthropy and his political activism, particularly on issues related to human rights, democracy, and social justice. His ideas and actions have had a significant impact on global politics and economics, and he remains a highly influential figure to this day.

With a net worth of $8.5 billion (according to Bloomberg), Soros is also the founder of Open Society Foundations, which gives grants to groups that promote democracy, transparency, and freedom of speech. According to Bloomberg, Soros shifted $18 billion from his family office to his Open Society Foundations as of 2018. George Soros' critics say that he takes advantage of the economic and social crises he causes in a country by giving money to left-leaning groups around the world to advance his ideological ambitions.

Earlier this year, the US billionaire's scathing criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Adani row created a political furor in India. In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Soros alleged that the turmoil over Gautam Adani's business empire might weaken PM Modi's hold on the government. 

During the Munich Security Conference, George Soros said Modi would "have to answer questions" from foreign investors and Parliament on allegations the Adani group is facing.

The stocks of Adani Group have taken a beating since US short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. The Adani Group has denied any wrongdoing and has threatened to sue Hindenburg. He added that Adani Group row will "significantly weaken Modi’s stranglehold on India’s federal government". Soros also warned, "I may be naive, but I expect a democratic revival in India."