World's Billionaires 2009

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12. S. Robson Walton Net Worth: $17.6 billion Source: Wal-Mart/U.S. Age: 65 Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; three children

• Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens 'n Things.

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• Shares down 25% since September.
• Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations.
• Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months.
• Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950.
• With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962.
• Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion.
• Rob is Wal-Mart chairman; helping company become eco-friendly through partnership with environmental group Conservation International.

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12. Alice Walton Net Worth: $17.6 billion Source: Wal-Mart/U.S. Age: 59 Marital Status: Twice divorced

• Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens 'n Things.
• Shares down 25% since September.
• Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations.
• Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months.
• Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950.
• With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962.
• Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion.
• Alice's Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville under construction. Collection already growing; acquisitions include Sargent's "Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife," Benton's "Ploughing It Under."

© L. Matthew Bowler

12. Christy Walton & family Net Worth: $17.6 billion Source: Wal-Mart/U.S. Age: 54 Marital Status: Widowed, one child

• Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens 'n Things.
• Shares down 25% since September.
• Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations.
• Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months.
• Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950.
• With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962.
• Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion.
• Christy is the widow of John Walton (died 2005); donated seven-acre San Diego home to Cross Border Philanthropy.

© Sipa/AP Images

15. Bernard Arnault Net Worth: $16.5 billion Source: Luxury goods/France Age: 60 Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; five children

• France's richest man lost $9 billion in the past year, as shares of his $22 billion (sales) luxury goods group, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, dropped 29%.
• Sailing into new waters: bought Princess Yachts, one of Britain's oldest luxury motorboat manufacturers, last summer; picked up yacht builder Royal van Lent soon after.
• Via his investment arm, Groupe Arnault, owns French tour operator Go Voyages and has a stake in French retailer Carrefour.
• Built Le Cheval Blanc in French ski resort town of Courchevel, where he often likes to spend New Year's Eve.
• Also owns two wineries with good friend, Belgian billionaire Albert Frere.
• Father made small fortune in construction; Arnault put up $15 million from that business to buy Christian Dior in 1985. Still a family affair, as both son Antoine, 31, and daughter, Delphine, 33, sit on LVMH's board.
• Wife is a concert pianist; Arnault himself reported to be an excellent piano player.

© Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images

16. Li Ka-shing Net Worth: $16.2 billion Source: Ports, retail, energy/Hong Kong Age: 80 Marital Status: Widowed, two children

• Net worth of Hong Kong's "Superman" is down $10 billion in the past year, as stock of his publicly traded conglomerates Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa tumbled.
• The two companies are about to start construction on a property project in Shanghai, China.
• HW's retail group plans to open 120 stores in China in 2009.
• Through the two companies, Li is world's largest operator of container terminals, world's largest health and beauty retailer by number of outlets, a major supplier of electricity to Hong Kong, and a real estate developer.
• His second-largest holding: Canadian oil firm Husky Energy, which cut spending by almost a third for 2009.
• Charitable foundation recently raised $510 million by selling 40% of its stake in Bank of China.
• Avid golfer plays almost every day; sank his 15th hole in one in September.
• Poor immigrant sold plastic flowers in Hong Kong in the 1950s.
• Eldest son, Victor, helps him run businesses; son Richard struck out on his own in early 1990s and is a billionaire in his own right.

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