• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
SuccessWalmart

The world’s richest woman just joined the $100 billion club

Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 26, 2024, 6:43 AM ET
Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, waits onstage during the annual Walmart shareholders meeting event on June 1, 2018
Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, is a centi-billionaire. Rick T. Wilking—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

It’s a good week to be a Walton. The trio of siblings behind the Walmart empire have all joined the 12-figure-fortune club, courtesy of a healthy boost to the retailers’ share price.

Recommended Video

Rob, Jim and Alice are the three children of Sam Walton, who founded the company sitting at the top of the Fortune 500—a ranking it has held for more than a decade.

Founded in 1945, Walmart is the world’s largest retailer and is half-owned by two family holding companies.

Alice, aged 74, co-manages one of these two organizations—Walton Enterprises—contributing to her net worth of $101 billion.

As a centi-billionaire, Alice is now the richest woman on the planet, coming in at number 18 on the Bloomberg Billionaires list.

However, she’s not the first woman to have ever achieved the centi-billionaire title.

This summer L’Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers was valued at $101 billion but has since seen her fortune tank to $88.2 billion.

Conversely Alice’s fortune has grown by $30.8 billion this year alone.

Alice also isn’t the only Walton on the Billionaires Index. Her siblings Jim, aged 76, and Rob, aged 79, take the number 16 and 17 spots respectively.

Jim was the first of the trio to crack into the $100 billion club when his fortune leapt to $101 billion in the second week of September. At the time of writing, his fortune was valued at $104 billion.

Rob also joined the centi-billionaire group that week and now has a net worth of $102 billion.

The siblings now join an exclusive club of 18 who are valued at more than $100 billion. The pack is led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg.

While Alice leads the way as the richest woman on the list, a handful of other heiresses are featured further down. Aside from Bettencourt Meyers, Julia Flesher Koch and her family are valued at $76.8 billion.

Flesher Koch is the widow of David Koch, the former co-owner of multinational conglomerate Koch.

Elsewhere on the list is Melinda French Gates, the ex-wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and MacKenzie Scott, who was previously married to Jeff Bezos.

Walmart’s growth

Across the American economy retailing has been turbulent, with supply chains disrupted and consumers squeezed.

However Walmart has delivered for shareholders and gained greater market share.

In its Q2 earnings call in August, the group reported revenue of $169.3 billion, up 4.8% compared to the same period the year prior.

“We continue to gain market share, including in general merchandise, and transaction counts and unit volume are up across markets,” CEO Douglas McMillon said on the earnings call. “Food continues to be strong and it’s encouraging to see improvements in general merchandise. And our US health and wellness business in Walmart and Sam’s Club, primarily due to sales of GLP-1 drugs, is contributing to our strong comp sales.

“So far, we aren’t experiencing a weaker consumer overall.”

Read more from Fortune
–Sam Altman says it’s relentless and all-consuming to run OpenAI teams after shock CTO departure
–YouTube’s MrBeast looks for ‘obsessed’ employees to help run his $700 million company, per leaked handbook
–Here’s what actually makes employees happy and more likely to stay at their jobs
–Laurene Powell Jobs is one of Kamala Harris’s biggest bankrollers—and closest friends
–‘As painful as disruption is, it’s not negotiable’ says CarMax’s CEO

The optimistic outlook has led to a boost for shareholders—and hence the Walton family’s fortunes. At the time of writing Walmart’s shares sat at $81—up 53% in the year to date.

Conversely the assets of Bettencourt Meyers are falling, with L’Oreal’s share price down 11% year to date at $395.

L’Oreal’s balance sheet isn’t unhealthy—but is beleaguered by trailing sales in certain geographies.

In July L’Oreal reported sales of €22.12 billion (approximately $25 billion), up 7.5%.

Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of L’Oréal, said: “Our continued strong momentum in emerging markets, Europe and North America allowed us to more than offset the depressed beauty market in mainland China and the unfavorable comparative in travel retail.”

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Eleanor Pringle
By Eleanor PringleSenior Reporter, Economics and Markets
LinkedIn icon

Eleanor Pringle is an award-winning senior reporter at Fortune covering news, the economy, and personal finance. Eleanor previously worked as a business correspondent and news editor in regional news in the U.K. She completed her journalism training with the Press Association after earning a degree from the University of East Anglia.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Success

lebron
Arts & EntertainmentSports
LeBron James, the only billionaire currently active in the NBA, signs a minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers
By Catherina GioinoJuly 24, 2026
4 hours ago
Wealthy man in car
SuccessMillionaires
120 millionaires have signed a letter begging the British government to tax them more: ‘We can afford it’
By Emma BurleighJuly 24, 2026
4 hours ago
This CEO once bought a bankrupt furniture company for $80,000. At 95, he’s now given away millions
Successphilanthropy
This CEO once bought a bankrupt furniture company for $80,000. At 95, he’s now given away millions
By Sydney LakeJuly 24, 2026
5 hours ago
nyse
CommentaryEconomics
AI doesn’t end scarcity. It relocates it
By François Candelon, Paul-Louis Andres and Augustin ManchonJuly 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
SuccessBillionaires
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos could be the latest American billionaire to buy into European soccer clubs—he’s eyeing up a stake in Liverpool FC
By Emma BurleighJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
Sanae Takaichi
Successwork-life balance
Despite Tokyo’s push for a 4-day week for better work-life balance, Japan’s prime minister boasts sleeping just ‘zero to three’ hours a night
By Preston ForeJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
Big Tech
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
By Sydney LakeJuly 23, 2026
2 days ago
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
Economy
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
13 hours ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 days ago
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
Personal Finance
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
By Joshua HongJuly 23, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.