U.S. takes the lead from Greater China with the most companies for first time since 2018
Today, Fortune released the 2024 Fortune Global 500(™), the definitive list of the world’s largest corporations ranked by revenue for the 2023 fiscal year. Walmart, the Arkansas-based retailer, is No. 1 for the 11th consecutive year, followed by Amazon (No. 2), State Grid (No. 3), Saudi Aramco (No. 4), and Sinopec (No. 5).
Fortune’s authoritative ranking of the current corporate world order showed the dominating presence of U.S. companies (139). With an increase of three companies from 2023, the U.S. took the lead away from Greater China (133 companies, down 9 from last year) for the first time since 2018. Greater China comprises Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. China and U.S. companies account for 9 of the 10 most profitable Fortune Global 500 companies.
The financial sector roared back on the global list: Banks (57) and insurance companies (40) were the top two categories leading all industries with the most Fortune Global 500 companies, followed by auto and auto parts manufacturers (37), petroleum refiners (33), and metals (23). Financial led all sectors in two key financial metrics, generating U.S. $8.6 trillion in revenue and $992 billion in profits.
Big Tech still made its mark. Collectively, Apple (No. 7), Alphabet (No. 17), Microsoft (No. 26), and Meta Platforms (No.66) brought in $282 billion in net income, up from $233 billion last year.
THE 2024 FORTUNE GLOBAL 500 TOP 10 LIST:
- Walmart (U.S.)
- Amazon.com (U.S.)
- State Grid (China)
- Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia)
- Sinopec (China)
- China National Petroleum (China)
- Apple (U.S.)
- UnitedHealth Group (U.S.)
- Berkshire Hathaway (U.S.)
- CVS Health (U.S.)
Companies on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list posted record aggregate revenue of $41 trillion (up 0.1%) and employed 70.5 million people worldwide. While the revenue was essentially flat in 2023, profits rose 2% after declining in 2022. Saudi Aramco (No. 4) netted $121 billion in profits and was the most profitable Fortune Global 500 company for the third year in a row.
The number of women CEOs of Fortune Global 500 companies fell back a bit, to 28, down one from a year ago. CVS Health is the largest company by revenue run by a woman, CEO Karen Lynch. The U.S. is home to 15 companies with women CEOs, followed by France with four, and Brazil, Britain, and China with two each.
Fortune Global 500 companies are based in 238 cities and 35 countries/territories around the world. The top 5 cities—Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Shanghai, and Seoul—serve as home base to almost one-quarter of the companies. London and Paris are both one company shy of fifth place.
Thirteen companies are making their Fortune Global 500 debut, and they reflect the world’s fascination with AI and weight-loss drugs. They include chip maker Nvidia (No. 222) and pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk (No. 469).
The complete Global 500 appears in the August/September issue of Fortune and is available today here. The complete dataset can be purchased here.
“For thirty-five years, Fortune has been tracking the world’s largest companies in our Global 500 ranking and it’s proven to be a dependable barometer of global business,” said Fortune Editor in Chief and Chief Content Officer Alyson Shontell. “This year’s list shows a couple of trends colliding – energy prices cooling while AI gets red-hot. The question now will be how big the gap is between what we’re spending on this promising new technology and the business it can generate — and over what time frame.”
“The business world today is truly global, and the Fortune Global 500 is an illuminating map of that world,” said Fortune CEO Anastasia Nyrkovskaya. “We are excited to share this list with the many audiences that rely on its authority and credibility.”
Fortune Vice President of Research Scott DeCarlo said, “The Global 500 is the ultimate scorecard for business success. The aggregate revenue of the Fortune Global 500 in 2023 reached $41 trillion, a record level. That sum represents more than a third of global GDP—a sign of how much economic power is concentrated in these companies.”
Companies are ranked on the Fortune Global 500 by total revenues for their respective fiscal years ending on or before March 31, 2024. All companies on the list must publish financial data and report part or all of their figures to a government agency. The latest figures in the list are as reported by the companies; any comparisons are with the prior year’s figures as originally reported. Fortune does not restate the prior year’s figures for changes in accounting.
