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The world’s biggest companies by market capitalization are mainly tech companies, although other sectors, such as energy, financial services, and pharmaceutical, also make an appearance in the top 10. Most of these companies generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue and are highly profitable. However, there are a few exceptions, with the focus of investors being future growth potential.
Companies are ranked according to TradingView’s list of largest companies by market capitalization. All figures, which are also taken from TradingView, are current as of Oct. 15, 2024.
Key Takeaways
- Company size is often measured by market capitalization, the total value of all the company’s shares in the market.
- Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft are the top three global companies by that measure, each with market caps of over $3 trillion.
- Technology companies rank among the most valuable companies in the world today.
- U.S.-based companies fill most top slots.
- Two of the top 10, Berkshire Hathaway and Eli Lilly, were founded in the 19th century.
- Market Cap: $3.56 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $385.60 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $101.96 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 32.31%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
- Year Founded: 1976
Apple designs, manufactures, and sells a broad range of consumer technology products, including smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearable devices, home entertainment devices, cloud storage, and more. Some of its most popular products include its iPhone smartphones, Mac computers, and AirPod wireless headphones.
Products rumored to be launched in the remainder of 2024 include a new iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iPad mini 7, and a low-cost iPad. The company is also introducing Apple Intelligence, its AI functionality, in iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
- Market Cap: $3.23 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $96.31 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $53.01 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 192.04%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
- Year Founded: 1993
Nvidia designs and develops graphics processors and related software. It was a pioneer in the development of the graphics processing unit (GPU), whose initial applications were primarily used for PC graphics and video games. The capabilities of the GPU are now being leveraged for use in AI and machine-learning applications, which accounts for the company’s recent growth spurt.
Nvidia’s share price rocketed in 2024, thanks mainly to its big exposure to the AI boom. That rally has significantly increased its market cap and led it to jostle throughout the year for the top spot with Apple and Microsoft.
- Market Cap: $3.11 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $245.12 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $88.14 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 26.49%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
- Year Founded: 1975
Microsoft is a global developer and licenser of software, devices, and services. The company is well known for its Windows and Office Suite software as well as its Xbox gaming hardware. The company is gaining more of its profits and revenue from cloud computing services, for which it is a market leader.
Microsoft has also made a big play in artificial intelligence (AI), integrating it into its search and Office products, among other applications. In the company’s 2023 annual report, Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella wrote: “Every customer solution area and every layer of our tech stack will be reimagined for the AI era. And that’s exactly what we’ve already begun to do.”
- Market Cap: $2.05 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $327.96 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $87.66 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 19.44%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
- Year Founded: 1998
Alphabet is the parent of Google, the dominant search engine in the global market. The company offers a range of technologies and digital services, including search, the Android smartphone operating system, the Chrome browser, Gmail email services, the Google Drive online file storage platform, Google Maps, Google Photos, the Google Play app store, and YouTube.
The company also provides cloud services through Google Cloud and a variety of workspace collaboration tools. In addition, it earns revenue through a growing array of hardware products, such as the Pixel phones, Fitbit, and the Google Nest home collection. Alphabet also operates its Other Bets portfolio of emerging businesses, such as the self-driving car business Waymo.
Like Microsoft, Apple, and just about every tech company on this list, Alphabet is making a play in AI, releasing apps through its deep learning model, Gemini.
- Market Cap: $1.97 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $604.33 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $44.42 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 43.61%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
- Year Founded: 1994
Amazon is an ecommerce retailer that sells a broad range of products and services globally and is the world’s biggest provider of cloud computing services. Its ecommerce business includes merchandise and content that it purchases for resale from vendors and products offered by third-party sellers.
Amazon Web Services, launched in 2006, generates a substantial portion of the company’s operating profits, providing cloud services to businesses, government agencies, and academic institutions.
Amazon also offers various subscription services and web services, including its cloud computing service and streaming entertainment business. The company also manufactures and sells electronic devices, such as Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, Fire TV, and Echo and Alexa. In addition, Amazon sells groceries through its subsidiary Whole Foods.
Note
A company’s market cap is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current market price of a single share. As such, it can change from day to day.
- Market Cap: $1.75 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $494.16 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $116.02 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: -18.86%
- Exchange: Tadawul (Saudi Stock Exchange)
- Year Founded: 1933
Saudi Arabian Oil, commonly known as Aramco, is a Saudi Arabia-based integrated oil and gas company. The company was founded as part of Standard Oil’s overseas operations and is owned by the Saudi government.
Aramco operates both upstream and downstream segments. Its upstream segment engages in the exploration and production of crude oil, condensate, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The downstream segment is engaged in refining and petrochemical manufacturing, distribution, and power generation.
Saudi Aramco also has a chemicals business that makes complex products like synthetic rubber.
- Market Cap: $1.48 trillion
- Revenue (TTM): $149.78 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $51.43 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 83.99%
- Exchange: Nasdaq
- Year Founded: 2004
Meta Platforms is the parent company of Facebook, the world’s largest social media network. Meta provides products and digital platforms that enable individuals and businesses to connect through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality headsets, and in-home devices.
In addition to Facebook, it owns Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. The company also operates Reality Labs, which offers augmented and virtual reality (VR) products, and is investing in and building the metaverse, an expansive virtual world that combines aspects of social media, online gaming, augmented reality (AR), VR, and cryptocurrencies.
- Market Cap: $996.87 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $370.11 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $67.86 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 31.38%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
- Year Founded: 1839
Berkshire Hathaway began with the merger of two regional textile companies in the 19th century. Only much later was it purchased by legendary investor Warren Buffett and converted into a conglomerate holding company.
Berkshire Hathaway today owns a large number of subsidiaries engaged in insurance, freight rail transportation, retailing, utility and energy generation and distribution, and other businesses. The company also operates manufacturing businesses that make products for industrial uses, construction, and consumers.
- Market Cap: $868.04 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $38.92 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $7.34 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 49.48%
- Exchange: NYSE
- Year Founded: 1876
Eli Lilly and Company is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Often called just Lilly, the company is based in Indianapolis, Ind. It researches, develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceuticals for the global market.
Lilly’s product lines focus on diabetes, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. It also caters to health markets, offering treatments for COVID-19, male sexual dysfunction, and osteoporosis in menopausal women.
- Market Cap: $861.80 billion
- Revenue (TTM): $74.97 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $28.38 billion
- 1-year Trailing Total Return: 90.00%
- Exchange: Taiwan Stock Exchange/NYSE
- Year Founded: 1987
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world. Based in Taiwan, it manufactures and sells integrated circuits and wafer semiconductor devices used in a variety of everyday applications including computers, consumer electronics, cars, and industrial equipment.
In 2023, the company produced nearly 12,000 products for 528 clients worldwide. Its clients include Apple, Advanced Micro Devices, Broadcom, Intel, MediaTek, NVIDIA, NXP Semiconductors, OmniVision Technology, Qualcomm, and Renesas Electronics.
What Are the Biggest Companies in the World by Revenue?
With a few exceptions, the top companies by revenue are not the same as the largest by market cap. And for some investors, they may be less appealing. That could be because they are more capital-intensive and have lower profit margins, or they could be more mature companies with fewer growth prospects. These are the top five companies by annual revenue as of Oct. 15, 2024:
What Are the Biggest Companies in the World by Number of Employees?
What Is the Biggest Company on Each Continent?
These are the largest companies by market cap on each continent, excluding Antarctica, as of Oct. 15, 2024:
The Bottom Line
The largest companies in the world today are worth many billions, and in some cases several trillions, of dollars when measured by market capitalization. This makes these companies more valuable than some countries’ entire economies.
Today, tech companies dominate the biggest corporations in the world. In decades past, trading companies, railroads, and steelworks held the reins. Time will tell if these high flyers can stay in the top positions and which industries emerge to challenge their coveted positions.
