The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (2024)

Home News stocks

2020-02-19T17:04:18Z

Theron Mohamed

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (1)

Shutterstock
  • The Mormon Church's mysterious $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in tech companies.
  • Ensign Peak Advisors had a $40 billion stock portfolio at the end of 2019, SEC filings show.
  • It included $6 billion worth of shares in Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, and Intel.
  • Ensign doesn't hold Coca-Cola or Starbucks, likely because it doesn't invest in caffeine stocks.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily.

Thanks for signing up!

Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion investment fund revealed massive stakes in Microsoft, Apple, and other tech titans for the first time this month.

Ensign Peak Advisors, the investing arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, boasted a $40 billion stock portfolio at the end of December, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

The fund — which is more than 50 years old — held $6 billion worth of shares in just five companies: Microsoft, Apple, Google-parent Alphabet, Amazon, and Intel. It eschews businesses that Mormons find objectionable, The Wall Street Journal reported this month, which likely explains why it isn't an investor in tobacco titan Philip Morris, gambling giant Caesars Entertainment, or caffeine sellers such as Starbucks and Coca-Cola.

A whistleblower recently exposed Ensign as one of the world's biggest funds, ranking alongside SoftBank's Vision Fund in terms of assets. Mormon Church leaders may have kept its size a secret for years out of fear it would discourage donations known as tithes, The Journal reported. Mormons are obliged to give 10% of their yearly income to the church, which then passes any donations surplus to it budgetary needs to Ensign, the newspaper said.

Ensign didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

These are Ensign's 10 biggest holdings and their current value, according to Bloomberg data:

1. Microsoft

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (2)

Reuters

Number of shares: 9.5 million

Current market value: $1.8 billion

2. Apple

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (3)

Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Number of shares: 5.4 million

Current market value: $1.7 billion

3. Alphabet

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (4)

Paul Sakuma/AP

Number of shares: 694,000

Current market value: $1.1 billion

4. Amazon

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (5)

Reuters

Number of shares: 463,000

Current market value: $988 million

5. Intel

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (6)

Reuters

Number of shares: 10.1 million

Current market value: $679 million

6. Johnson & Johnson

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (7)

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Number of shares: 4.4 million

Current market value: $665 million

7. Visa

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (8)

Associated Press

Number of shares: 2.8 million

Current market value: $596 million

8. Facebook

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (9)

Reuters

Number of shares: 2.6 million

Current market value: $561 million

9. JPMorgan Chase

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (10)

Getty/Andrew Burton

Number of shares: 3.5 million

Current market value: $479 million

10. UnitedHealth

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (11)

Reuters

Number of shares: 1.6 million

Current market value: $479 million

Read next

Features Finance Markets

More...

The Mormon Church's secretive $100 billion fund revealed huge stakes in Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Here are its 10 biggest holdings. (2024)

FAQs

Did the Mormon Church hidden money? ›

A former investment manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says that the organization stockpiled more than $100bn in funding intended for charity work but never spent it on such projects. “It was really a clandestine hedge fund,” David A Nielsen said during an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes.

What companies does the Mormon Church invest in? ›

These are the Mormon church's top 10 stocks holdings at the end of the first quarter.
  • Alphabet. Advertisem*nt.
  • UnitedHealth Group. Reuters.
  • Amazon. Advertisem*nt. ...
  • Exxon Mobil. AP.
  • Nvidia. Advertisem*nt. ...
  • Mastercard. Getty Images.
  • Johnson & Johnson. Advertisem*nt. Mario Tama/Getty Images.
  • Meta Platforms. Getty Images.
May 15, 2023

Why was the Mormon Church hiding money? ›

The church was concerned that disclosure of the assets in the name of the nonprofit entity, called Ensign Peak Advisors, which manages the church's investments, would lead to negative consequences in light of the size of the church's portfolio, the SEC said.

How much is the Mormon Church fund worth? ›

| Updated: Aug. 27, 2023, 8:15 a.m. The public's latest glimpse at a key portion of the vast wealth held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shows its main investment fund stands at about $49.3 billion, including a stake in Apple now topping $3 billion alone.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 6141

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.