Richard Branson’s $300 Million Stake Dump Torpedoes Virgin Galactic Shares

Branson sold some of his Virgin Galactic ownership in order to fund other ventures.

By Chloe Arrojado Aug 13, 2021
Patrick T. Fallon | Getty Images

Shares of Virgin Galactic fell 3% in premarket trading Friday after founder Sir Richard Branson sold an additional portion of his ownership in the space company. Through Virgin Investments, he sold 10.4 million shares at prices between $25.75 and $34.39, per a Thursday SEC filing, casting off a total worth of $300 million.

The move, which was designed to help him fund his other ventures, resulted in the 3% drop from Virgin Galactic’s previous close of $25.94 per share.

Virgin Group is still the largest single shareholder in Virgin Galactic, though this stake sale is the third Branson has undertaken since Virgin Galactic went public through a SPAC in 2019. In July, just after Branson’s initial space flight, the company announced in a regulatory filing that entered into an agreement to sell up to $500 million in stock at market prices.

Prior to going public, Virgin Galactic raised more than $1 billion in investments.

Related: 4 Mindset Shifts Creative Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Richard Branson

Shares of Virgin Galactic fell 3% in premarket trading Friday after founder Sir Richard Branson sold an additional portion of his ownership in the space company. Through Virgin Investments, he sold 10.4 million shares at prices between $25.75 and $34.39, per a Thursday SEC filing, casting off a total worth of $300 million.

The move, which was designed to help him fund his other ventures, resulted in the 3% drop from Virgin Galactic’s previous close of $25.94 per share.

Virgin Group is still the largest single shareholder in Virgin Galactic, though this stake sale is the third Branson has undertaken since Virgin Galactic went public through a SPAC in 2019. In July, just after Branson’s initial space flight, the company announced in a regulatory filing that entered into an agreement to sell up to $500 million in stock at market prices.

Prior to going public, Virgin Galactic raised more than $1 billion in investments.

Related: 4 Mindset Shifts Creative Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Richard Branson

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Chloe Arrojado

Editorial Assistant at Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur Staff

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