We add the caveat that two other companies that otherwise would 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. 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). Although US-based firms dominate the top 20, the world is well represented.
- While the popularity with consumers of products like iPhones, iMacs and tablets propelled Apple to new heights, whenever sales appeared to slow, its market capitalization suffered.
- Private companies are not included in our lists as it is difficult to calculate their market value and know their financials.
- In short, these are companies that deliver for customers and investors; they grow.
- It explores for oil and gas or markets its products, or both, in most of the world’s countries.
- Most companies in the top-10 list generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue.
This is the list of the world’s biggest companies by market capitalization. Private companies are not included in our lists as it is difficult to calculate their market value and know their financials. Focusing too closely on ever-changing share prices, investor sentiment and world events rather than on underlying fundamentals can be misleading. Another hotforex noteworthy company in the top ranks is NVIDIA, a specialist in gaming, AI and semiconductors, which recently saw its stock soar to a market capitalization over $1 trillion. Alphabet (GOOGL/GOOG) is the parent of Google, the dominant search engine in the global market. Companies are ranked as per TradingView’s list of largest companies by market cap.
A company’s market cap is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current market price of a single share. Saudi Arabian Oil, better known as Saudi Aramco, is a Saudi Arabia-based integrated oil and gas company. The company was founded as Standard Oil’s overseas operations and is now owned by the Saudi government. The company operates a chain of drugstores with locations throughout the U.S. as well as in Puerto Rico.
Alphabet also operates its Other Bets segment which includes emerging businesses such as the self-driving car business Waymo. It operates digital content stores, provides cloud and payment services, and recently launched AppleTV+, a streaming service for on-demand entertainment content. 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.
Aside from retail, CVS offers pharmacy benefit management services, mail order pharmacy services, and disease management programs. Based in the Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell explores, produces, and refines petroleum through its subsidiary beaxy exchange review companies. In addition to operating gas stations around the world, Shell produces and sells fuels, lubricants, and other chemicals. Some of the stocks below are only traded over-the-counter (OTC) in the U.S., not on exchanges.
What Are the Most Valuable Companies of All Time?
The company also operates Facebook Reality Labs, which offers augmented and virtual reality (VR) products. This Financial Times–based list is up to data as of December 31, 2020[update]. Indicated changes in market value are relative to the previous quarter.
List of public corporations by market capitalization
Tesla, which makes electric vehicles, began 2022 as the world’s fifth biggest company by market capitalization, and ended the year in 11th place after CEO Elon Musk’s decision to acquire Twitter. By contrast, Microsoft built itself into one of the world’s largest companies with a focus on steady recurring revenue streams. You might not need a new smartphone or laptop every year, but a software license, Cloud-computing package or videogame subscription, means ongoing payments—and client stickiness. While many people are interested in ranking companies by market value or market cap, the top companies by revenue differ somewhat. This could be because they are more capital-intensive and have lower profit margins.
So-called stay-at-home companies in e-commerce and digital platforms gained sales and revenue as shutdowns demanded use of new technologies. When vaccines became available and the world economy slowly re-opened, revenue flows shifted again. For years, Apple—also one of the world’s most admired companies—has seen its market cap fall victim to its sales success. While the popularity with consumers of products like iPhones, iMacs and tablets propelled Apple to new heights, whenever sales appeared to slow, its market capitalization suffered.
Saudi Aramco (2222.SR)
Successful strategy (and product, and timing, and management) aside, the total dollar value of a company’s outstanding shares can be affected by a myriad of other unpredictable factors. It was not too long ago when a controversial tweet by former US President Donald Trump could send US market cap spiraling downward or soaring to new highs—without much rationale to support the move. Berkshire Hathaway today owns a large number of 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. In addition to Facebook, it also owns Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
All figures, which are also taken from TradingView, are current as of Jan. 20, 2024. The world’s biggest companies by revenue represent relatively new, faster-growth industries and mature, slower-growth ones ranging from e-commerce and tech devices to oil and retailing. And then there are unforeseeable and unpredictable events like the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 1990, United States companies were added to compile a truly global list of top industrial corporations as ranked by sales. Since 1995, the list has had its current form, listing also top financial corporations and service providers by revenue. The company power trend also provides cloud services through Google Cloud and a variety of workspace collaboration tools. In addition, the company earns revenue through a growing array of hardware products such as the Pixel phones, Fitbit, and the Google Nest home collection.
‡ The Global 500 includes Unilever & Royal Dutch Shell under the heading “Britain/Netherlands”, as the company is counted in the tally for both countries. ‡ The Global 500 includes Unilever under the heading “Britain/Netherlands”, as the company is counted in the tally for both countries. The Fortune Global 500, also known as Global 500, is an annual ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. Microsoft also owns and operates LinkedIn, the popular social networking site for professionals and job seekers. † Fortune had previously listed Shell as a British/Dutch company, but as of the 2016 listing it is listed as Dutch. Lilly’s product lines focus on diabetes, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience.
It could also mean that they are more mature companies with fewer growth prospects. The company offers products and platforms comprised of hardware, software, services, and more to serve the gaming, professional visualization, data center, and automotive markets. Oil and gas company PetroChina is engaged in oil exploration, development, production, and sales. PetroChina is the exchange-listed branch of the Chinese state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation. Some foreign companies may report semiannually, and so may have longer lag times.