Larry Ellison’s Fortune Surges $100 Billion After Oracle Earnings

Oracle co-founder, CTO and Executive Chairman Larry Ellison (C), U.S. President Donald Trump, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (R), and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son (2nd-R), share a laugh as Ellison uses a stool to stand on as he speaks during a news conference in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced an investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and took questions on a range of topics including his presidential pardons of Jan. 6 defendants, the war in Ukraine, cryptocurrencies and other topics.

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Larry Ellison’s fortune surged by over $110 billion on Wednesday, fueled by Oracle’s bullish projections for cloud growth over the next five years. The optimistic outlook sent Oracle’s stock soaring, increasing Ellison’s stake to an estimated $391 billion. This places him within striking distance of Elon Musk, currently valued at just over $436 billion, in the race for the world’s wealthiest individual, according to Forbes.

At 81, Ellison remains a pivotal figure at Oracle, serving as both Chief Technology Officer and Chairman. Unlike some tech titans who gradually divest their shares, Ellison has maintained a substantial holding of over 1.1 million shares for more than two decades, a testament to his confidence in the company’s long-term prospects. This contrasts sharply with his protégé, Marc Benioff of Salesforce, who has taken a different approach. Musk’s wealth has, in turn, been significantly augmented by Tesla’s compensation packages and the escalating valuation of SpaceX.

Since stepping down from the Tesla board in 2022, Ellison has actively pursued other interests. He has intensified his focus on the healthcare sector with Oracle’s $28 billion acquisition of Cerner, a move poised to revolutionize medical records and data analytics. He also bolstered his philanthropic endeavors with the launch of the Ellison Institute of Technology at the University of Oxford. Additionally, his involvement helped finalize the $8 billion Paramount Global-Skydance merger, diversifying his portfolio beyond technology. Most notably, Oracle has emerged as a critical infrastructure partner for AI development, forging alliances with industry leaders such as OpenAI.

Oracle’s recent earnings call underscored its dominance in the cloud computing space. The company reported a remaining performance obligation of $455 billion, representing a staggering 359% year-over-year increase. Furthermore, Oracle projects its cloud infrastructure revenue will balloon from $10 billion in fiscal 2024 to $144 billion by fiscal 2030. This aggressive growth forecast signals Oracle’s strategic positioning in the rapidly expanding AI market.

“Clearly, we had an amazing start to the year because Oracle has become the go-to place for AI workloads,” stated Oracle CEO Safra Catz during the earnings call, highlighting the company’s success in attracting major AI players. Oracle now counts OpenAI, xAI, Meta, Nvidia, and AMD, among its key cloud infrastructure clients. This diverse client roster, spanning generative AI to chip design, underscores Oracle’s versatility and its capacity to meet the sophisticated demands of the AI industry.

Beyond its AI initiatives, Oracle continues to display strength in its more established software businesses, maintaining a significant lead over competitors like Workday and ServiceNow, according to Ellison. With a market capitalization exceeding $950 billion, Oracle ranks among the largest companies in the S&P 500, reflecting its enduring market relevance and financial strength. The company’s success stems not just from its technological prowess, but also its ability to adapt and capitalize on emerging trends in technology, most notably AI.

Ellison’s longstanding support for President Trump, including campaign donations and fundraising efforts, raises questions regarding potential business implications for Oracle. Trump previously expressed openness to a potential acquisition of TikTok’s U.S. operations by either Elon Musk or Larry Ellison, hinting at the intersection of politics and technology within Oracle’s long-term strategic vision. Whether or not external political factors have any real influence on Oracle remains to be seen.