Alice Walton has an estimated net worth of $68 billion. As of 2022, she was the 19th-richest person and the second-richest woman globally. Her wealth is partly thanks to her being the daughter of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, Inc.
Facts about Alice Walton
| Name | Alice Louise Walton |
| Birth date | October 7, 1949 |
| Age | 73 years |
| Birthplace | Newport, Arkansas |
| Education | Trinity University |
| Known for | Heiress, Walton family fortune |
| Board member of | Amon Carter Museum |
| Parents | Sam Walton and Helen Walton |
| Relatives | Rob Walton, John Walton, and Jim Walton |
Alice Walton Biography
Early Life
Alice Louise Walton was the only daughter among the four children of Sam Walton and Helen Walton. She was born in Newport, Arkansas, on October 7, 1949. Walton grew up in Bentonville and attended Bentonville High School. Alice Walton enrolled at Trinity College in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated in 1971. At Trinity University, Walton studied economics and finance.
Personal Life
Walton’s first marriage was to a prominent investment banker out of Louisiana. The union lasted less than three years. Soon after, Walton married a building contractor who built her swimming pool. The marriage was short-lived as well.
The multi-billionaire has cheated death in road accidents several times. One of the accidents was fatal. She lost control while driving a rented Jeep in 1983. The accident left her with a shuttered leg. She underwent a dozen surgeries and still experiences lingering pain from the injuries.
Walton was in another accident in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1983. She hit a 50-year-old woman, Oleta Hardin, killing her on the spot. In 1998, Walton paid a $925 fine for hitting a gas meter while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Career
Alice Walton began her career in finance as an equity analyst. She also worked for EF Hutton, one of the oldest stock brokerage firms in the United States. She founded an investment bank, Llama Company, in 1988. She closed the company and moved to one of her ranches in Milsap, Texas.
Walton chaired the Northwest Arkansas Council. She took part in the construction of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. The terminal was named Alice L to recognize her role in the airport development.
In 2015, Walton put the Milsap ranch up for sale and moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Walton said she moved to Fort Worth to concentrate on the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
One of the key contributors to Walton’s great wealth is the success of Walmart in the retail business. She is one of the wealthiest people in the United States and the world.
Though she is a billionaire heiress, Alice Walton lives a humble life on a 3200-acre ranch in Texas. She believes in philanthropic giving and also contributes to political fundraisers. She has given millions of dollars to charity through the Walton Family Foundation.
Take a Look at Alice Walton Documentary: Walmart Heiress:
Net Worth Growth
Walmart Stake
Alice Walton built her massive net worth without working for the family business. She worked with Walmart briefly after college as a buyer of children’s clothes. After Sam Walton died, his stake in the company was split among his four children.
Alice received a 13% through the Walton Family Holdings Trust and Walton Enterprises. Since 1993, Alice Walton has made an estimated profit of $7 billion from stock sales and dividends.
Lessons from Alice Walton
- Accept failure, but keep trying. Walton says that failure is part of the journey to success. Everyone fails at some point, but it takes courage to continue trying.
- Believe in yourself. The first step towards success is believing in yourself and what you can do. Do not allow others to dissuade you as you journey toward your success.
- Courage must be your watchword. Everyone makes mistakes. We are all capable of outstanding mistakes. The key is to not allow failure and defeat to be the end. You must keep moving forward.
How Does Alice Walton Spend Her Money?
Real Estate
Alice Walton owns a 6,286-square-foot duplex in Manhattan. She acquired the condo in 2014 for $25 million. The duplex is at 515 Park Avenue and occupies the 30th and 31st floors.
In 2015, Walton sold two of her ranches in Texas. She had lived in the ranches since the 1990s when she closed Llama Corporation. Walton listed the farms with price tags of $19.8 million for the smaller ranch and $28.7 million for the larger one.
Art Collection
Alice Walton has built a successful career in art collecting. She spends millions of dollars when she meets a piece of art. Walton’s love for art stems from days of painting watercolors with her mom when she was young.
She founded an art museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2011. Often, Walton displays new pieces of art at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. She also has a private art gallery, which she rarely talks about. This makes it impossible to value.
Political Causes
Alice Walton has been involved in several political contributions. In 2004, she was the 20th-largest contributor to 527 groups during the presidential elections. She gave $2.6 million to Progress for America. By early 2012, she had given $200,000 to Restore Our Future and the super PAC. The Super PAC was associated with the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney. In 2016, Walton donated $353,400 to the Hillary Victory Fund.
Charitable Donations
The Walton family has a charity financing program run by the Walton Family Holdings Trust. Alice Walton gave $225 million to the trust in 2016. She launched the Alice L. Walton Foundation in 2017. The foundation supports art, education, and health. The foundation donated $3 million to the University of Central Arkansas for its fine arts program.
The Foundation gave the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences $1.28 million. The grant was for the University’s healthy foods program. In 2022, the foundation gave $3.5 million to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.
FAQs
How Much Money Did Alice Walton Inherit?
When Sam Walton passed away in 1992, Alice Walton inherited a 13% stake in Walmart. Alice Walton’s father split his Walmart shares equally among his four children.
Who Are Alice Walton’s Children?
Alice’s marriage was short-lived. She had not gotten any children before the divorce and has never had any. She raises competitive show horses on her ranch.
Conclusion
Alice L Walton’s massive net worth of $68 billion ranks her among the richest women in the world. The 73-year-old American heiress to the Walmart fortune has enjoyed many accomplishments. She worked briefly for Walmart before launching an investment bank, the Llama Company. Though she has never had children, she breeds show horses on her ranch in Texas.
