Alice Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune, has overtaken Françoise Bettencourt Meyers to become the world’s richest woman, with a net worth surpassing $95 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Walton’s wealth has surged this year, largely due to Walmart’s stock price climbing 44% to reach a record high, resulting in a $25 billion increase in her net worth.
In contrast, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heir to the L’Oréal fortune, has seen her wealth decline by $9 billion to $91 billion, reflecting a 12% drop in L’Oréal shares since January. At the end of last year, Bettencourt Meyers was valued at $100 billion, while Walton’s net worth stood at $70 billion.
Currently ranked 18th on Bloomberg’s rich list, Walton is just behind her brothers Jim and Rob, who hold net worths of $98 billion and $95.8 billion, respectively. The Walton siblings each own over 11% of Walmart, having collectively accumulated over $15 billion from stock sales and dividends.
Bettencourt Meyers, who inherited her stake in L’Oréal from her late mother Liliane, owns approximately 35% of the cosmetics giant, which includes brands like Garnier and Maybelline.
If Walton’s net worth continues to rise and crosses the $100 billion threshold, she will join the exclusive ranks of centibillionaires, alongside figures such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett. Other notable heiresses near the top of Bloomberg’s wealth list include Jacqueline Badger Mars and Abigail Johnson, whose families founded Mars and Fidelity, respectively.
