10 Biggest Companies in the World
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These are the 10 biggest companies in the world by 12-month trailing (TTM) revenue, and they represent a striking diversity of industries. This list is limited to companies that are publicly traded in the U.S. or Canada, either directly or through American depositary receipts (ADRs).
Some foreign companies report semiannually, and so may have longer lag times. We add the caveat that two other companies that would otherwise be added to this list are Saudi Aramco, the Saudi state oil company; and State Grid, the Chinese state-owned electric utility. They were omitted because their stocks are not publicly traded in the U.S. or Canada.
The revenue and net income figures are as of Q3 2024 unless otherwise stated. Market cap is as of Nov. 18, 2024. All three figures are provided by TradingView unless otherwise stated. The one-year trailing total return is as of Nov. 18, 2024, provided by Morningstar.
Key Takeaways
- The biggest company by revenue is Walmart, followed by Amazon and PetroChina.
- All of the companies on the list brought in revenues of over $300 billion, with Walmart and Amazon cracking over $600 billion.
- Industries present include retail, oil, tech, auto, and healthcare, with retail, tech, and oil companies being the largest.
- Seven of the world’s biggest companies by revenue are based in the U.S. Two are Chinese companies, and one is a German company.
- Revenue (TTM), Q2 2024: $665.03 billion
- Net Income (TTM), Q2 2024: $15.55 billion
- Market Cap: $675.86 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 63.94%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
Founded in 1962, Walmart has since grown into one of the world’s largest retailers. The company operates discount stores, supercenters, neighborhood markets, and a robust online platform. Walmart sells a wide variety of merchandise, including clothing and apparel, home goods, books, jewelry, food and beverage, pharmaceutical supplies, and automotive equipment.
- Revenue (TTM): $620.13 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $49.87 billion
- Market Cap: $2.12 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 38.93%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer by market cap. The company began as an online bookseller and has since grown to encompass virtually every retail category.
Besides selling products through its e-commerce platform, Amazon owns subsidiaries, including Whole Foods Market and home security company Ring. Its other business areas are cloud computing services, subscription products like Amazon Prime, streaming movies, and other entertainment.
- Revenue (TTM): $415.99 billion
- Net Income (TTM), Q2 2024: $22.74 billion
- Market Cap: $197.14 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 17.89%
- Exchange: OTC Markets
Oil and gas company PetroChina is engaged in oil exploration, development, production, and sales. It also manufactures petrochemical products. PetroChina is the exchange-listed branch of the Chinese state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation.
- Revenue (TTM): $399.23 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $6.88 billion
- Market Cap: $104 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 11.16%
- Exchange: OTC Markets
China Petroleum & Chemical is a producer and distributor of a variety of petrochemical and petroleum products. The company’s products include gasoline, diesel, kerosene, synthetic rubbers and resins, jet fuel, and chemical fertilizers, among other related offerings.
Also known as Sinopec, China Petroleum & Chemical is among the largest oil refining, gas, and petrochemical companies in the world. It is administered by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
- Revenue (TTM): $392.72 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $14.32 billion
- Market Cap: $542.65 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 11.43%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
UnitedHealth Group Inc. is a multinational healthcare and insurance company based in Minnetonka, Minn. It provides managed healthcare insurance policies to companies, government employers, and individuals.
Its healthcare services are delivered by a network of medical groups that provide them under contract with UnitedHealth. In addition to its U.S. operations, UnitedHealth Group has subsidiary operations in other countries, including Brazil, India, Ireland, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.
Note
Some of these stocks are only traded over-the-counter (OTC) in the U.S., not on exchanges. Trading OTC stocks usually carries higher trading costs than trading stocks on exchanges. This can lower or even outweigh potential returns.
- Revenue (TTM), Q4 2024: $391.04 billion
- Net Income (TTM), Q4 2024: $93.74 billion
- Market Cap: $3.45 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 20.73%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
Apple designs, manufactures, and markets a broad range of consumer technology products, including smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearable devices, home entertainment devices, and more.
Among the company’s most popular products are its iPhone line of smartphones and Mac line of computers. Apple is also building a fast-growing services business, operating digital content stores, selling video games, and providing streaming services such as Apple+, a platform for on-demand entertainment content.
- Revenue (TTM): $369.89 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $106.88 billion
- Market Cap: $1.02 trillion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 31.56%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
Berkshire Hathaway began with the merger of two regional textile companies in the 19th century. Then, in the 1960s, legendary investor Warren Buffett took control and converted it into a conglomerate holding company.
Berkshire Hathaway owns many subsidiaries engaged in insurance, freight rail transportation, retailing, and utility and energy generation and distribution. The company also operates manufacturing businesses that make products for industrial uses, construction, and for consumers.
- Revenue (TTM): $369.15 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $5.02 billion
- Market Cap: $70.53 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: -14.68%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
CVS is an integrated pharmacy healthcare provider. The company operates a chain of drugstores with locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In addition to retail, CVS offers pharmacy benefits management services, mail-order pharmacy services, and disease management programs.
- Revenue (TTM): $351.59 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $13.24 billion
- Market Cap: $45.41 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: -23.08%
- Exchange: OTC
The German company builds, sells, and repairs both luxury and economy cars, sports cars, trucks, and other commercial vehicles. Volkswagen’s premier luxury brand is Audi.
- Revenue (TTM): $339.03 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $33.70 billion
- Market Cap: $528.77 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 18.28%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
ExxonMobil is a multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Texas. Its activities include oil and gas exploration and marketing its products in most of the world’s countries.
Its gasoline stations are a familiar sight to drivers worldwide, although the brand names they display may be ExxonMobil, Esso, Exxon, or Mobil depending on the locale. ExxonMobil’s corporate name reflects the 1999 merger that combined two giants of the industry.
What Is the Most Profitable Company in the World?
The company generating the biggest profit in the world is Saudi Aramco. The Saudi Arabia government-owned petroleum and natural gas company reported net profit of $121.27 billion in the year ending Dec. 31, 2023.
Who Is the Highest Paid CEO in the U.S.?
Jon Winkelried, the CEO of TPG Inc. (TPG), was the highest-paid CEO in the U.S. in 2023, according to a report by Equilar and the New York Times. His total compensation totaled $198,685,926.
What Is the Most Recession-Proof Industry?
There are a handful of sectors that don’t experience a drop in demand during recessions. They include healthcare, utilities, education, and consumer staples. Of all of these, perhaps healthcare is widely considered the most recession-proof, though that sentiment isn’t universal among investors.
The Bottom Line
The biggest companies by TTM revenue trading in the U.S. or Canada are dominated by retail, oil, technology, and healthcare companies. While many of these companies have large revenues, these numbers don’t always translate into high returns for the stock price.
When evaluating a company as a good investment, it’s crucial to analyze a host of factors, from revenue to EBITDA to many financial metrics to understand the true financial health of a company.
