Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 82° Today's Paper


Top News

Jeff Bezos loses $13B in hours as Amazon shares slump

PAUL ELLIS/POOL PHOTO VIA AP / 2021
                                CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos delivers his message during a session on Action on Forests and Land Use, during the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. Bezos’s net worth fell to $148.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, from a peak this year of more than $210 billion.

PAUL ELLIS/POOL PHOTO VIA AP / 2021

CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos delivers his message during a session on Action on Forests and Land Use, during the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. Bezos’s net worth fell to $148.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, from a peak this year of more than $210 billion.

Jeff Bezos saw $20.5 billion of his fortune melt away after Amazon.com Inc.’s results left investors disappointed, helping fuel the worst month for technology stocks in years.

>> RELATED: Tech stocks sink again, Nasdaq has worst month since 2008

Shares of the e-commerce company were down 14% today after it reported a quarterly loss and the slowest sales growth since 2001. Bezos’s net worth fell to $148.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, from a peak this year of more than $210 billion.

The world’s 500 richest people lost a total of more than $54 billion Friday amid the broader market rout, according to the Bloomberg index. The benchmark S&P 500 Index fell 3.6% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index slid 4.5%, closing out its worst month since 2008.

Bezos, 58, the world’s richest person after Elon Musk, is now the third-biggest wealth loser this year, with his fortune dropping nearly $44 billion since Jan. 1.

Amazon is contending with higher labor costs following a hiring binge during the pandemic and a surge in inflation that may hold back sales.

The company posted a net loss of $3.8 billion in the quarter ended March 31, compared with profit of $8.1 billion in the same period last year.

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our guidelines. Having trouble with comments? Learn more here.