Alice Walton (L) and Françoise Bettencourt Meyers. Photos by Reuters, Fondation Bettencourt Schueller
Alice Walton, who inherited the Walmart retail fortune, has surpassed Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heiress to French cosmetic giant L’Oréal, to once again become the richest woman in the world.
Walton, who owns more than 11% of Walmart, has gained $25 billion in wealth since the start of the year thanks to a 44% surge in the retail giant’s share price, as reported by Business Insider.
Bettencourt Meyers, however, has seen her net worth slide $9 billion this year, in line with a 12% drop in L’Oréal stocks.
Walton’s net worth stood at US$96.6 billion as of Aug. 31, taking the 19th spot globally on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.
Bettencourt Meyers is ranked right below her with a net worth of $90.5 billion.
The L’Oréal heiress was first ranked as the richest woman in the world by Forbes. She defended the title for several years, with the exception of 2020, when Walton took the top spot.
The two women are both heiresses to families with long-standing legacies, according to Fortune magazine.
Bettencourt Meyers and her family hold nearly 35% of L’Oréal, which was established 115 years ago in Paris.
The French beauty group is currently ranked 90th on the Fortune 500 Europe list, which features the region’s largest companies by revenue.
Alice Walton is the daughter of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer.
The firm has topped the Fortune 500 list of the biggest U.S. companies for 12 consecutive years, with an annual revenue of $648 billion for the 2024 fiscal year.
