Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gatesis now the largest stockholder in St. Paul-based Ecolab Inc.
The Star Tribune reports that Cascade Investment LLC, a Kirkland, Wash.-based investment firm controlled by Gates, bought 3.9 million shares of Ecolab stock this week, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Cascade now holds more than 22 million shares of Ecolab (NYSE: ECL), while Gates also holds about 4.4 million Ecolab shares through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .
Combined, the chairman of Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) holds an 11.4 percent stake in Ecolab, which makes cleaning products and systems for hospital and restaurants.
Cascade's spent nearly $190 million on its purchase this week. Based on Ecolab's closing price of $50.80 per share Friday, Gates' investment in Ecolab is worth about $1.34 billion.
Other Cascade investments include Deere and Co. and Berkshire Hathaway.
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