The daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton has taken the title of the world's richest woman, beating L'Oreal cosmetics heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers to the top spot.
Alice Walton, co-owner of Walton Enterprises, one of two family-owned holding companies that control about half of the discount retail giant, is valued at $95.7 billion, ranking 18th on Bloomberg's Rich List.
This puts him ahead of Bettencourt Myers, whose net worth is estimated by Bloomberg to be $89.9 billion.
Alice Walton, daughter of the late Walmart founder Sam Walton, is the richest woman in the world, according to Bloomberg. Getty Images
The site said Walton, 74, was just behind his brother Rob Walton, who is the world's 17th richest person with a net worth of $96.3 billion.
Rob's brother, Jim Walton, is in 16th place with a net worth of $98.6 billion.
The Walton family collectively controls about 50% of the outstanding shares of Walmart, the world's largest retailer with reported annual sales of $648 billion in fiscal 2024, making them its largest and most influential shareholders.
Pictured is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, daughter of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. AFP via Getty Images
Bettencourt Myers' net worth previously topped the $100 billion mark, but her net worth has fallen by nearly $10 billion since the start of this year as the cosmetics company's stock price has fallen nearly 10% over the same period.
She is the granddaughter of L'Oreal founder Eugène Schueller, who bequeathed his shares in the French cosmetics giant to his daughter Liliane Bettencourt.
Liliane Bettencourt was the richest woman in the world when she died in September 2017 at the age of 94.
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers inherited shares in L'Oreal, the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company, with an estimated market capitalization of $253.88 billion as of June, from her mother.
An only child, Bettencourt Myers was known for having a volatile relationship with her mother.
Liliane Bettencourt sparked a political scandal in France in 2010 when recordings made by her former butler sparked an investigation into allegations of political influence against President Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 election bid and former Labor Minister Eric Werth, Bloomberg reported at the time.
Bettencourt Myers held the title of the richest woman in the world. Last fall, her fortune surpassed the $100 billion mark. AFP via Getty Images Walmart is the world's largest retailer. The company is split between two holding companies owned by the Walton family heirs. Sundry Photography – stock.adobe.com
Following the death of her mother, Bettencourt-Meyers, 71, took control of Thetis, the family-owned holding company that holds the majority stake in L'Oreal, whose brands include Lancôme, Aesop, La Roche-Posay and Maybelline.
Her husband, Jean-Pierre Meyers, is the CEO of Thetis.
