Elon Musk spent $2.64 billion on Twitter shares this 12 months: submitting

Elon Musk gestures as he speaks throughout a press convention at SpaceX’s Starbase facility close to Boca Chica Village in South Texas on February 10, 2022.

Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Pictures

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been shopping for Twitter shares on virtually a every day foundation because the finish of January, spending $2.64 billion for his present stake within the firm, in accordance with a SEC submitting on Tuesday.

The disclosure got here by way of a 13D submitting, which confirms that Musk has intentions to be extra energetic in Twitter’s enterprise. On Monday, the corporate indicated that Musk had 9.2% possession within the firm, nevertheless it was through a 13G submitting, which factors to a passive stake for a holder who is not attempting to exert management or affect.

Tuesday’s submitting mentioned he owns 73,115,038 Twitter shares, or 9.1% of the corporate. On the shut of buying and selling, these shares had been price $3.73 billion. Musk crossed the 5% threshold on March 14.

The flip to turning into an energetic investor follows an announcement by Twitter and CEO Parag Agrawal on Tuesday that the corporate will appoint Musk to its board of administrators.

Musk, in accordance with the most recent submitting, has been buying shares in his most well-liked social media firm since Jan. 31, and lengthening by way of April 1.

The most important buy got here on Feb. 7, when he purchased greater than 4.8 million shares price $176 million. Twitter shares closed at their low level for the 12 months on March 7, at $32.42. They ended January at $37.51.

For so long as Musk is serving on the board, or 90 days after, he cannot personal greater than 14.9% of Twitter’s inventory, both as a person or as a member of a bunch, in accordance with Monday’s submitting.

Minutes after Musk’s submitting appeared on-line, Twitter mentioned that within the subsequent few months it would take a look at “an edit function” that it had been engaged on since final 12 months. On Monday, Musk had posted a Twitter ballot asking if customers “need an edit button,” a longtime request amongst account holders. Of the 4 million respondents, 74% voted sure.

On March 25, earlier than Musk disclosed the Twitter stake, he requested his tens of hundreds of thousands of followers on the platform: “Free speech is important to a functioning democracy. Do you imagine Twitter rigorously adheres to this precept?” He additionally advised he could kind his personal social community if followers believed one could also be wanted.