Michael Burry, the legendary investor who rose to fame for predicting the 2008 housing market collapse—a story later immortalized in the film The Big Short—is once again making headlines with his latest investment moves. Known for his contrarian style and willingness to bet against prevailing market sentiment, Burry has disclosed fresh positions in Meta Platforms, Alibaba Group, and UnitedHealth Group, signaling a diversified and strategically intriguing play across technology, international e-commerce, and healthcare.
These disclosures, revealed in his firm Scion Asset Management’s latest 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), offer rare insight into the thinking of one of Wall Street’s most closely watched investors.
A Contrarian by Nature
Burry has long built his reputation on identifying opportunities where others see only risk. In the early 2000s, he famously shorted the U.S. housing market, a move that earned him enormous profits when the financial crisis unfolded. More recently, he has warned about bubbles in growth stocks, cryptocurrencies, and speculative trading.
That’s why his decision to take stakes in established giants like Meta, Alibaba, and UnitedHealth is particularly noteworthy. Rather than chasing the latest market fad, Burry appears to be positioning his portfolio around companies with durable fundamentals, global reach, and in some cases, undervalued stock prices.
Betting on Meta: Confidence in Big Tech’s Resilience
Burry’s stake in Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, highlights a bet on the resilience of big tech. Despite controversies over data privacy, regulatory scrutiny, and a multibillion-dollar push into the metaverse, Meta has remained a dominant force in digital advertising.
With AI-driven recommendation engines boosting engagement and ad targeting, and the company’s ongoing investment in virtual and augmented reality, Burry may see long-term upside that outweighs near-term risks. Moreover, Meta’s stock has rebounded strongly from its 2022 lows, signaling regained investor confidence.
For a value-oriented investor like Burry, the company’s cash flow strength and global dominance in social media could provide a margin of safety in an otherwise volatile tech sector.
Alibaba: A Contrarian Play on China
Burry’s investment in Alibaba Group may be his most contrarian bet of the three. The Chinese e-commerce giant has faced years of pressure, from regulatory crackdowns to geopolitical tensions with the United States. Investor confidence in Chinese equities has wavered as Beijing tightened oversight on the tech sector and global trade uncertainties persisted.
Yet Burry’s move suggests he believes Alibaba’s fundamentals remain strong. With its dominant position in Chinese online retail, growing presence in cloud computing, and vast logistics network, Alibaba still commands one of the largest consumer bases in the world.
By stepping in at a time when sentiment around Chinese tech stocks remains muted, Burry is effectively applying his classic strategy: buying where others fear to tread. If regulatory conditions stabilize and China’s economy continues to recover, the upside potential for Alibaba could be significant.
UnitedHealth: A Steady Bet on Healthcare
Rounding out his new positions, Burry disclosed a stake in UnitedHealth Group, the largest healthcare company in the United States by market capitalization. Unlike Meta and Alibaba, UnitedHealth represents stability and steady growth rather than dramatic volatility.
UnitedHealth combines health insurance with healthcare services through its Optum division, giving it a vertically integrated model that generates consistent revenue streams. With the aging U.S. population and rising demand for healthcare, the company has strong long-term tailwinds.
For Burry, who is often associated with dramatic contrarian plays, this investment reflects a more defensive strategy—one that balances risk with exposure to a sector that historically weathers economic downturns better than most.
A Diversified Approach
Taken together, these three bets reveal a balanced yet opportunistic portfolio shift. Meta represents growth and innovation in U.S. technology, Alibaba offers contrarian value in emerging markets, and UnitedHealth provides defensive stability in healthcare.
This blend underscores Burry’s ability to adapt his strategy to evolving market conditions. Rather than making a single bold call, he is spreading risk across different geographies and industries, all while adhering to his principle of identifying mispriced opportunities.
Market Reaction and Broader Implications
Whenever Burry makes a move, Wall Street pays attention. His reputation for spotting risks before they become mainstream makes his portfolio choices a source of speculation and debate. While some analysts argue his picks reflect standard diversification, others believe he sees deeper market inefficiencies that the average investor overlooks.
Investors should note, however, that 13F filings only reveal positions at the end of a given quarter. Burry is known to adjust his portfolio frequently, meaning these holdings could change quickly. Still, the disclosure provides a rare glimpse into his thinking at a time when markets are navigating inflationary pressures, geopolitical uncertainties, and the race to adopt AI-driven technologies.
Lessons for Investors
For everyday investors, Burry’s latest moves offer a few key takeaways:
- Look beyond market noise. Burry is willing to invest in companies others are skeptical about, provided the fundamentals support long-term growth.
- Diversify across sectors. Balancing high-growth bets with defensive positions is crucial in uncertain markets.
- Be patient. True value investing requires a long-term perspective, something Burry has consistently demonstrated.
The Bottom Line
Michael Burry’s fresh bets on Meta, Alibaba, and UnitedHealth reveal an investor who remains both contrarian and pragmatic. By blending big tech resilience, contrarian value in China, and healthcare stability, Burry is once again charting his own course through volatile markets.
While his legendary housing short will forever define his career, Burry’s latest moves remind investors that his strength lies not just in predicting crises, but in spotting opportunities where others hesitate. Whether these bets will pay off remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: when Michael Burry acts, the financial world watches closely.
