Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has slipped behind Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in the global wealth rankings after Amazon’s latest earnings report failed to meet market expectations. According to Forbes Billionaires List 2025, Jeff Bezos’ net worth was reduced by $16 billion (6.9%) to $218.9 billion, trailing behind Zuckerberg with $226.6 billion net worth. Elon Musk remains the world’s wealthiest person with a net worth of $839.4 billion, followed by Google cofounders Larry Page ($267.3 billion) and Sergey Brin ($246.6 billion).
Markets unhappy with Amazon’s quarterly earnings
Shares of Amazon fell sharply after the company posted quarterly earnings slightly below estimates and signaled much higher future spending. According to Forbes, Amazon shares dropped about 9.3% on February 6 to around $202. The fall came after the company reported earnings of $1.95 per share for the latest quarter, missing Wall Street estimates of $1.97 per share. Revenue rose to $213.4 billion, which was higher than expected, but investors focused more on profits and future costs.The stock drop reduced Jeff Bezos’ personal wealth, allowing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to move ahead of him. Market concerns were reportedly linked to Amazon’s growing capital expenditure (Capex) plans, especially around artificial intelligence (AI) and infrastructure.
Big spending plans worry investors
During the earnings call, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company expects capital expenditure of around $200 billion in 2026. He said the spending would support demand for AI products, custom chips, robotics, and low-orbit satellites. The figure is about 36% higher than what Wall Street had projected. Analysts at MoffettNathanson said the increase was larger than expected and raised concerns about returns.Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft together expect to spend around $610 billion in 2026, mainly driven by AI-related investments. While companies say the spending supports long-term growth, investors remain cautious about costs and near-term returns.
