Another thing is that Jobs owns 51% of Pixar, and probably hasn't wanted to sell any stock because that would entail a loss of control.
Gates owns about a billion shares of Microsoft, which is about 9% of the shares. While he's the largest shareholder, he doesn't have an overwhelming percentage, as is the case with Jobs. He could be outvoted by Ballmer and a couple of institutional investors, who each have about half as many shares as Gates.
And anyway, because there are so many shares of Microsoft outstanding, Gates can sell millions and millions of shares without really denting his standing. That's not really the case for Jobs, since Pixar is much smaller and has far fewer shares outstanding.
Anyway, the point is that Jobs' wealth hasn't been very liquid because he's had it tied up in Pixar with an intention to maintain control. I'd bet that despite his paper wealth, he probably has the liquid assets (and the lifestyle) of someone well short of a billionaire. It's probably more like a $300 millionaire. Rock star level, not globe-striding colossus level.
So it should be no wonder that he doesn't give money away like Gates - in liquid assets terms, he's probably one hundredth as wealthy.
by Jon H — Jan 29
Gates owns about a billion shares of Microsoft, which is about 9% of the shares. While he's the largest shareholder, he doesn't have an overwhelming percentage, as is the case with Jobs. He could be outvoted by Ballmer and a couple of institutional investors, who each have about half as many shares as Gates.
And anyway, because there are so many shares of Microsoft outstanding, Gates can sell millions and millions of shares without really denting his standing. That's not really the case for Jobs, since Pixar is much smaller and has far fewer shares outstanding.
Anyway, the point is that Jobs' wealth hasn't been very liquid because he's had it tied up in Pixar with an intention to maintain control. I'd bet that despite his paper wealth, he probably has the liquid assets (and the lifestyle) of someone well short of a billionaire. It's probably more like a $300 millionaire. Rock star level, not globe-striding colossus level.
So it should be no wonder that he doesn't give money away like Gates - in liquid assets terms, he's probably one hundredth as wealthy.