Top Famous Investors Who Made Billions – How They Did It

Learn from the most successful traders like Warren Buffett, Michael Burry, and Nancy Pelosi. Explore their achievements, strategies, famous quotes, and top stock holdings.

Sectors & Industries

The financial world has seen legendary traders and investors who changed the markets forever. These traders aren’t just known for their wealth but also for their strategies, sharp instincts, and lasting influence. In this post, we’ll explore the achievements, trading qualities, and portfolios of the most famous traders, including Warren Buffett, Michael Burry, and George Soros.

Warren Buffett — The Oracle of Omaha

Warren Buffet
Source: CNN

Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is renowned for his disciplined value investing approach. Born in 1930, Buffett began investing as a child and grew his wealth by following principles of patience, risk management, and identifying undervalued companies. His philosophy of holding onto strong businesses long-term has made him a role model for investors worldwide. Buffett’s reputation for integrity and consistency has made him one of the most admired and wealthiest individuals globally.

Famous Quote: “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”

Major Achievements:

  1. Consistently generated 20% annual returns for over 50 years.
  2. Grew Berkshire Hathaway into an $800 billion company with smart, long-term investments.

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  • APPLE (APPL): -$14.3 Billion
  • American Express Co (AXP):  +$6 Billion
  • Bank of America Corporation (BAC):  -$9.4 Billion

LevelFields analyzes tons of market events—like product launches, billionaire’s trades, government actions, crypto adoption, lawsuits, and even Tesla events—and spits out alerts along with forecasts of how these events typically impact stocks.

New Positions for Q3 2024

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (SIRI): +$2.5 Billion

SIRI’s recent events:

LevelFields Alerts SIRI

Dominos Pizza Inc. (DPZ): +$550 Million 

DPZ’s recent events:

Pool Corp. (POOL): +$150 Million

POOL’s recent events:

Trading Strength: Buffett’s success lies in his focus on intrinsic value, risk management, and investing in companies he understands deeply.

Michael Burry — The Big Short Investor

Michael Burry
Source: Investopedia

Michael Burry, founder of Scion Asset Management, is celebrated for his ability to identify market bubbles and short them before they burst. A former physician turned investor, Burry is best known for predicting the 2008 housing market collapse and profiting significantly when the market crumbled. His contrarian thinking, deep research, and bold decision-making have set him apart as one of the most influential traders of his generation.

Famous Quote: “It’s not whether you’re right or wrong, but how much money you make when you’re right and how much you lose when you’re wrong.”

Major Achievements:

  1. Accurately predicted the 2008 financial crisis, making $700 million for his investors.
  2. Delivered a 252% gain since 2013 for Scion Asset Management.

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  • Alibaba Group (BABA): +17.9 Million
  • DF.com Inc. (JD):  +13.9 Million
  • Shift4 Payments Inc. (FOUR): +6 Million

New Positions for Q3 2024

He is shorting JD, BABA, and BIDU using put options.

Trading Strength: Burry’s analytical skills, independent thinking, and focus on undervalued assets set him apart from traditional investors.

George Soros — The Man Who Broke the Bank of England

George Soros
Source: CNBC

George Soros, founder of Soros Fund Management, is known for his bold bets on global macroeconomic trends. Born in Hungary, Soros survived Nazi occupation and later moved to the UK to study economics. His ability to capitalize on economic imbalances became legendary, particularly his famous shorting of the British Pound in 1992. Soros’s risk-taking abilities and philosophical approach to markets have made him a legendary figure in finance.

Famous Quote: “It’s not whether you’re right or wrong, but how much money you make when you’re right.”

Major Achievements:

  1. Made $1 billion in one day by shorting the British Pound in 1992.
  2. Donated $32 billion to charity through the Open Society Foundation.

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  • Astrazeneca PLC (AZN): -$15 Million
  • Alibaba Group (BABA): +$65 Million
  • Rivian Automotive (RIVN): -$55 Million

New Positions Q3 2024

Dropbox Inc. (DBX): +$100 Million

DBX’s recent events:

DPX Dropbox

Global PMTS Inc (GPN): +$47 Million

GPN’s recent events:

GPN Global Payments Alert

Salesforce Inc (CRM): +$43 Million

CRM’s recent events:

CRM Salesforce Alert

Synchrony Financial (SYF): +$41 Million

SYF’s recent events:

SYF Synchrony Alert

Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM): +$39 Million

AKAM’s recent event:

AKAM Akamai Technologies

OneStream Inc. (OS): +$34 Million

No new events

Vulcan Metals Co. (VMC): +$32 Million

VMC’s recent events:

Vulcan Materials Company Alerts

Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT): +$26 Million

SRPT’s recent event:

SRPT Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. Alert

Trading Strength: Soros’s macroeconomic foresight and risk-taking abilities revolutionized forex and global markets.

Bill Ackman — The Activist Investor

Bill Ackman
Source: Pershing Square Foundation

Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, is a prominent hedge fund manager recognized for his aggressive and innovative activist investing strategies. Ackman takes substantial stakes in companies and uses his influence to push for transformative changes that maximize shareholder value. 

His high-profile bets, including his controversial short on Herbalife and turnaround of Chipotle, demonstrate his deep research, conviction, and willingness to take bold risks. Ackman is also known for his eloquence and transparency, which have earned him a following among both professional and retail investors.

Major Achievements:

  1. Earned $2.6 billion by shorting Herbalife.
  2. Achieved significant success with investments in companies like Chipotle and Lowe’s.

Famous Quote: “Investing is a business where you can look very silly for a long period of time before you are proven right.”

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  1. Hilton Worldwide (HLT): -$255 Million
  2. Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG): -$145 Million
  3. Nike Inc. (NKE): +1.2 Billion

New Positions Q3 2024

Seaport ENTMT Group (SEG): +$57 Million

No new events

Trading Strength: Ackman’s ability to combine deep research with activism has made him a powerful force in influencing corporate strategy and driving shareholder returns.

Paul Tudor Jones — The Quotron Man

Source: Bloomberg

Paul Tudor Jones is one of the most well-known hedge fund managers, renowned for predicting the 1987 stock market crash and profiting massively from it. Jones started his career trading cotton futures before founding Tudor Investment Corporation. He combines macroeconomic analysis with careful risk management, making him highly successful in navigating volatile markets.

Famous Quote: “Don’t focus on making money; focus on protecting what you have.”

Major Achievements:

  1. Earned 62% returns during the 1987 stock market crash.
  2. Founded the Robin Hood Foundation, which fights poverty.

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  • Nvidia (NVDA): +$132 Million
  • Boeing Co (BA): +$153 Million
  • Infinera Corp (INFN): +108 Million
  • Spirit Aerosystem Holdings (SPR): +$103 Million

New Positions Q3 2024

Infinera Corp (INFN): +108 Million

No new events

Spirit Aerosystem Holdings (SPR): +$103 Million

SPR’s recent events:

SPR Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. Alerts

Trane Technologies Plc (TT): +$48 Million

TT’s recent events:

TT Trane Technologies plc Alerts

Lam Research Corp (LRCX): +$48 Million

LRCX’s recent events:

LRCX Lam Research Corporation Inc.

Trading Strength: Jones excels at risk management and macro trend analysis, making him one of the greatest hedge fund managers.

Peter Lynch — The Chameleon

Peter Lynch
Source: Yahoo Finance

Peter Lynch, former manager of Fidelity’s Magellan Fund, became famous for his ability to identify growth stocks. Lynch’s philosophy of “invest in what you know” made investing approachable for everyday investors. Under his leadership, the Magellan Fund achieved extraordinary growth, delivering consistent returns that outperformed the market.

Famous Quote: “The real key to making money in stocks is not to get scared out of them.”

Major Achievements:

  1. Managed the Magellan Fund, which achieved annualized returns of 29.2%.
  2. Authored best-selling books, including One Up on Wall Street.

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  • Microsoft (MSFT): -$2.1 Million
  • Walmart (WMT): +$2.5 Million
  • Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): +$1.3 Million

No New Positions Q3 2024

Trading Strength: Lynch’s ability to spot undervalued growth stocks and make investing relatable helped him achieve extraordinary success.

Ray Dalio — The Bridgewater Visionary

Source: Reuters

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, is a pioneer in the hedge fund industry. Known for his “Principles” philosophy, Dalio emphasizes a data-driven, systematic approach to investing. His “All Weather” portfolio strategy focuses on diversification and risk parity to thrive in all market conditions.

Famous Quote: “If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limits.”

Major Achievements:

  1. Built Bridgewater Associates into the largest hedge fund globally.
  2. Published Principles, which has inspired countless investors and leaders.

Latest Positions Q3 2024

  • Alphabet (GOOGL): -$100 Million
  • Nvidia (NVDA): -$233 Million
  • Microsoft (MSFT): -$112 Million
  • Meta (META): -$26 Million
  • Amazon (AMZN): -$248 Million

New Positions Q3 2024

Micron Technology Inc (MU): +$102 Million

MU Micron Technology, Inc. News

Trading Strength: Dalio’s systematic and diversified strategies have proven effective across economic cycles.

The world’s most famous traders, from Warren Buffett’s patient value investing to Michael Burry’s bold contrarian moves, have left a lasting impact on financial markets. Whether it’s Soros’s macro trades, Pelosi’s tech-heavy portfolio, or Lynch’s growth stock insights, their stories offer valuable lessons in strategy, risk management, and discipline.

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