The list of the world's most profitable companies offers a glimpse of which countries wield the most economic power and the sectors with the most economic influence. The world's largest two economies by far, the U.S. and China, are headquarters for all of the 10 most profitable companies. Equally important, the majority of companies on the list are technology firms.
Only companies listed on U.S. exchanges, either directly or through ADRs, and OTC, are included in this list. Notably, the two most profitable companies in the world are technology firms.
Two of the companies on the list are based in China, most of them receiving major financial support from China's central government.
These are the 10 most profitable companies by 12-month trailing(TTM)net income. All financial information is stated as of June 2024. Trailing returns and market cap are as of June 18, 2024. Data is courtesy of Morningstar and TradingView.
Key Takeaways
- The three most profitable companies in the world are technology firms.
- Half of the top 10 most profitable companies are in the technology space.
- Eight of the companies on this list are headquartered in the United States with two companies having their headquarters in China.
- Apple was the most profitable company thus far in 2024, yielding $100 billion of net income.
#1 Apple Inc.(AAPL)
- Net Income (TTM): $100.39 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $381.62 billion
- Market Cap: $3.29 trillion
- 1-Year TrailingTotal Return: 16.41%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Apple designs and manufactures mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players. The company also sells a range of related software, services, accessories, networking solutions, music and video streaming, as well as third-party digital content and applications. Apple is best known for its series of iPhones, iPads, and Mac personal computers.
#2 Microsoft Corp.(MSFT)
- Net Income (TTM): $86.18 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $236.58 billion
- Market Cap: $3.32 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 31.24%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Microsoft develops, licenses, and supports a range of software products, services, and devices. The company's products include operating systems, server applications, business applications, software development tools, video games, and more. The company also manufactures personal computers, tablets, gaming and entertainment consoles, phones, other intelligent devices, and related accessories. Microsoft also offers cloud-based solutions through its Azure cloud-computing platform.
#3 Alphabet Inc.(GOOGL)
- Net Income (TTM): $82.41 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $318.15 billion
- Market Cap: $2.16 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 41.90%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Alphabet is a holding company and the parent of Google Inc., its primary business. Google offers a range of Internet products, including Search, Ads, Commerce, Maps, YouTube, Google Cloud, Android, Chrome, and Google Play. It engages in advertising, the sale of digital content, applications, cloud computing services, and the sale of hardware products. Alphabet also offers smart-home products through Nest and is developing autonomous-driving technology through its Waymo project.
#4 Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(BRK.B)
- Net Income (TTM): $73.42 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $410.93 billion
- Market Cap: $879.21 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 20.58%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
Berkshire Hathaway is a holding company run by famed investor Warren Buffett. The company owns many subsidiaries, such as GEICO and Duracell, as well as large stakes in various companies, such as Coca-Cola and American Express. The holdings of the company are often watched by investors due to the success of Buffet as an investor.
#5 Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd.(IDCBY)
- Net Income (TTM): $50.39 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $830.45 billion
- Market Cap: $200.48 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 13.21%
- Exchange: OTC
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China provides commercial banking and financial services. Those services include corporate and personal loans, trade financing, deposit-taking, corporate and personal wealth management, and custodial services. The company also engages in investment activities for its own account or on behalf of customers, including money market transactions, investment securities, foreign exchange transactions, and the holding of derivative positions.
- Net Income (TTM): $50.05 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $158.85 billion
- Market Cap: $565.72 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 40.48%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
JPMorgan is a global financial holding company that provides banking and financial services. The bank is involved in a broad range of businesses such as corporate lending, investment banking, market-making, prime brokerage, treasury and securities products, and services to corporations, investors, financial institutions, and government and municipal entities. It also offers consumer banking and asset management services.
#7 China Construction Bank Corp.(CICHY)
- Net Income (TTM): $47.00 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $762.85 billion
- Market Cap: $180.51 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 20.64%
- Exchange: OTC
China Construction Bank provides a wide range of financial services to corporate and individual customers, including corporate and personal loans, deposit-taking, wealth management, trade financing, financial consulting and advisory services, and remittance services. The bank also engages in investment activities such as inter-bank money market transactions, investments in debt securities, and equities, as well as trading of derivatives and foreign currency.
#8 Meta Platforms Inc. (META)
- Net Income (TTM): $45.76 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $142.71 billion
- Market Cap: $1.27 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 78.11%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Meta Platforms was formerly Facebook Inc. It is a technology company that owns and operates some of the largest social media platforms in the world, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The company's founder and CEO is Mark Zuckerberg.
Some of the stocks included here are only tradedover-the-counter (OTC)in the U.S., not on exchanges. Trading OTC stocks often carries higher trading costs than trading stocks on exchanges. This can lower or even outweigh potential returns.
#9 NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA)
- Net Income (TTM): $42.60 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $79.77 billion
- Market Cap: $3.34 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 217.63%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
NVIDIA is a technology company; a leader in graphic processing units (GPUs). It creates various chips, tech systems, and software. NVIDIA's chips were primarily used for video games due to their graphic expertise; however, with the boom in AI, much of NVIDIA's tech is being used for artificial intelligence purposes.
#10 Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)
- Net Income (TTM): $37.68 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $590.74 billion
- Market Cap: $1.90 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 45.68%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Amazon, founded by Jeff Bezos, is one of the largest retail companies in the world. The company sells a wide array of consumer products. It also offers media products, such as video, music, and e-readers. The company has become a powerhouse in home delivery with the ability to deliver its products on the same day or the next day.
What Is the Most Profitable Company in the World?
The most profitable company in the world is Saudi Arabian Oil Co., known as Saudi Aramco. The company had a trailing 12-month (TTM) net income of $230.48 billion as of June 2024. It is the most profitable company because of Saudi Arabia's vast oil reserves.
Which Companies Have More than $1 Trillion in Revenue?
No company has more than $1 trillion in revenue. None have close to $1 trillion in revenue either. The company with the highest revenue as of June 2024 is Walmart, with a revenue of $648.12 billion.
What Is the Largest Company?
The largest company by market capitalization as of June 2024, is NVIDIA, with a market cap of $3.34 trillion.
The Bottom Line
The 10 most profitable companies in the world are a mix of technology, retail, and financial companies. All of the companies are located in either the U.S. or China. These companies play an important role in society across the globe, with many of their products being used daily by billions of people.
Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at
tips@investopedia.com
