What the Bezos divorce means for Amazon – The Wall Street Journal

DUBLIN — Jeff Bezos is one of the world's richest men thanks to his 16% stake in the business he built, Amazon. Jeff Bezos is also getting divorced. These two things are connected because – depending on the legal terms of their marriage – the divorce could mean that his wife MacKenzie is entitled to an 8% stake in Amazon. Much depends on whether or not the couple has a pre- or post-nuptial agreement that describes how their assets should be split in the case of a divorce. If they do, there's a good chance that the Amazon stake will be a non-issue. If they don't and their marriage and divorce falls under the rules of a community-of-property state, things could be a bit murkier. Divorces have upended businesses in America in the past (even in the recent past). If Jeff Bezos' Amazon stake is split in two and half goes to MacKenzie Bezos, she would have a big influence on the company's future as one of its major shareholders. Given her early involvement in the business, this may not be a bad outcome. But there is definitely some fresh uncertainty in Amazon's future right now as shareholders wait to see how the divorce plays out. – Felicity Duncan

Bezos Divorce Clouds His Stake in Amazon

(The Wall Street Journal) – Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, are divorcing after 25 years of marriage, a period during which Mr. Bezos amassed a personal fortune while building the world's most valuable company.

The divorce could have implications for the ownership structure of Amazon, where Mr. Bezos is the largest shareholder with a 16.3% stake, according to the company's latest proxy filed in April 2018.

___STEADY_PAYWALL___