Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates topped the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans for the 21st time in a row, the magazine announced Monday.
Four Walton family members also ranked in the top 10 again this year, all seeing their net worth increase substantially.
Two other Arkansas-based billionaires were on the list this year, with Warren Stephens, CEO of Little Rock-based investment bank Stephens Inc., moving up the list, and Johnelle Hunt, businessman and widow of the founder of Lowell-based J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., moving down.
With a strong stock market this year, the magazine reported the bar to make the top 400 rose to $1.55 billion, up $250 million from $1.3 billion last year. The general boost in wealth also can be seen by the average net worth of those on the list standing at $5.7 billion for 2014, the highest since the list started and up from $5 billion last year.
The combined worth of the richest Americans was a new record with $2.29 trillion, up from $2.2 trillion a year ago. In the 2014 list, 303 billionaires were worth more than last year, 36 billionaires were worth less and 28 were even for the year.
Gates saw his wealth increase by $9 billion in 2014, bringing his total worth to $81 billion. Warren Buffett, chairman of multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, kept his No. 2 spot with $67 billion, up $8.5 billion from 2013. Larry Ellison, founder and CEO of Oracle Corp, stayed at No. 3 with $50 billion, up $9 billion from last year.
Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, made the most ground on the list with his net worth growing by $15 billion. He ranks No. 11 on the 2014 list with $34 billion, up from No. 20 last year and from No. 36 in 2012.
Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys who played on the 1964 national championship team for the Arkansas Razorbacks, sits at No. 117 with $4.2 billion, up from No. 166 last year. The Dallas Cowboys are worth $3.2 billion, up from $2.3 billion last year. The Cowboys are the second-most valuable sports team in the world, according to Forbes.
Little Rock's Warren Stephens ranked No. 190 on the 2014 list with $3 billion, and up 32 places from No. 222 last year with $2.5 billion.
Hunt, an entrepreneur and widow of J.B. Hunt, is at No. 284 with $2.2 billion, up from $2.1 billion last year. She lost 24 places on the list when compared with 2013.
Shares of Wal-Mart, which account for much of the wealth of the Walton family members, held on to strong gains made in 2013. Shares traded above $80 in December, but in recent weeks have sold for a bit above $75.
The richest woman on the list, Christy Walton of Jackson, Wyo., stayed at the No. 6 spot with $38 billion, up from $35.4 billion for 2013. She is the widow of John T. Walton, Sam Walton's son who died in an ultralight aircraft crash in 2005.
Holding at No. 7, Jim Walton of Bentonville, chairman and CEO of Arvest Bank Group and a son of Sam Walton, had total wealth of $36 billion, up from $33.8 billion a year ago.
Alice Walton of Fort Worth, Sam Walton's only daughter and the founder of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, moved down one place to No. 9 with $34.9 billion, up from $33.5 billion.
Michael Bloomberg, of Bloomberg LP, pushed Alice Walton out of the No. 8 spot with $35 billion, an increase of $4 billion. He ranked No. 10 last year.
S. Robson "Rob" Walton of Bentonville, the oldest son in the family and Wal-Mart's chairman, ranked 10th, down one spot from last year, with $34.8 billion, up from $33.3 billion.
The Forbes rankings are based on each members' wealth on Sept. 12 when the placements on the list and net worth of those listed are locked in. The magazine looks at a wide variety of assets, including holdings in public and private companies, real estate, art, yachts and car collections.
Ann Walton Kroenke of Columbia, Mo., daughter of Wal-Mart co-founder James "Bud" Walton, Sam's brother, dropped one spot to No. 96, with $5 billion, up from $4.7 billion for 2013. Her husband, Stanley Kroenke, ranked No. 89, with $5.7 billion, up from $5.3 billion but down from his No. 84 rank last year.
Nancy Walton Laurie of Henderson, Nev., another daughter of Bud Walton, ranked No. 117 with $4.2 billion. In 2013, she ranked No. 110 with $4 billion.
Forbes began the list in 1982. The 13 billionaires on the list then represented a total worth of $93 billion. In 1982, a candidate could be ranked with as little as $75 million.
A Section on 09/30/2014