Which woman ranked first on Forbes’ 2020 list of the world’s richest women?

Alice Walton ranked first among women on Forbes’ 2020 list of the world’s billionaires.

Forbes identified Walmart heir Alice Walton as the world’s richest woman in 2020, with an estimated fortune of $54.4 billion. Her wealth came primarily from her stake in Walmart, the retail company founded by her father, Sam Walton, and her brothers. Forbes ranked her 9th overall among all billionaires that year.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heir to the L’Oréal fortune, ranked second among women with an estimated $48.9 billion. MacKenzie Scott, who received Amazon stock in her divorce settlement with Jeff Bezos, ranked third among women at roughly $36 billion when the list was compiled.

The wording matters because Forbes’ annual global ranking is a snapshot based on market prices on a specified date. Walton’s position could change in later editions as Walmart shares moved and other fortunes grew, so it should not be generalized to every Forbes ranking.