Most valuable companies in the world
Depending on where one lives, it might be impossible to throw a stone without hitting a local franchise of one of the world's biggest corporations. Certain fast food chains, apparel distributors, and telecom providers are omnipresent in most people's daily lives, as the companies often have hundreds of thousands of locations in rural and urban settings alike.
Some companies, on the other hand, have built up staggering fortunes while existing somewhat in the shadows, considering their primary consumer base is not the average citizen, but rather who require their goods and services in order to provide their own. While a look at the list of the 100 most valuable companies on Earth reveals a great many household names, there are also a handful of these more obscure corporations whose work is not as regularly recognized in the mainstream.
Using Forbes' list of the , 麻豆原创 listed the 100 most valuable companies in the world according to their respective market values as of May 11, 2018.
Read on to discover the companies that run the world.
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#100. Salesforce.com
Market value in U.S. dollars: $97 billion
As the world鈥檚 #1 CRM (customer relationship management) company, Salesforce provides support to companies to support their sales and customer experience efforts. Marc Benioff is famous founder and CEO of Salesforce, where he the coined the 1-1-1 philanthropic model for corporate giving, consisting of 1% donations of employee time (in the form of volunteering), company products, and resources.
#99. Morgan Stanley
Market value in U.S. dollars: $97.7 billion
Morgan Stanley was formed by Henry Morgan and Harold Stanley in 1935 after the Glass-Steagall Act . With 55,000 employees across 42 countries, the multinational investment bank has an as well as Morgan Stanley boasts the of any bank in the United States, and is headquartered in New York, NY.
#98. Tata Consultancy Services
Market value in U.S. dollars: $98.4 billion
Founded half a century ago in 1968, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) operates in 46 countries and ranks among the by market cap. With 67 subsidiaries, TCS鈥檚 products and services operate widely across the information technology sector and has nearly .
#97. Schlumberger
Market value in U.S. dollars: $98.5 billion
The , Schlumberger is incorporated in Willemstad, Cura莽ao though it has principal offices in Paris, Houston, London, and the Hague. Schlumberger employs 100,000 people across 85 different countries.
#96. GlaxoSmithKline
Market value in U.S. dollars: $98.6 billion
The result of a between two of the time's biggest pharmaceutical companies in Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, the British giants have been in the news recently for one of their widely desired products. Their shingles vaccine Shingrix drove such high demand in the United States that there ultimately ended up being a .
#95. Rio Tinto
Market value in U.S. dollars: $99.3 billion
The world鈥檚 third-largest mining company in the world operates in a handful of mineral mining areas. Amongst its are their aluminum, copper and diamonds, and iron ore groups, all mined by more than 47,000 employees in 35 different nations.
#94. Inditex
Market value in U.S. dollars: $99.5 billion
Inditex is a massive Spanish parent company home to , of which the most recognizable may be the fashion brand Zara. Others include Oysho, Bershka, Pull & Bear, and the Italian fashion brand Massimo Dutti.
#93. United Technologies
Market value in U.S. dollars: $99.6 billion
With more than 200,000 employees, UTC is one of the world鈥檚 largest, most globalized manufacturers of aerospace technologies and only looks to grow in the near future. The American multinational conglomerate looks to in the United States in the next five years.
#92. United Parcel Service
Market value in U.S. dollars: $99.7 billion
What can brown do for its customers? A whole lot actually, as the United Parcel Service, better known by its acronym UPS, is amongst the largest package delivery and supply chain management companies in the entire world. Regardless of where one is reading this, they've probably received a UPS package at one point or another, as UPS delivers products to all 50 states and .
#91. Booking Holdings
Market value in U.S. dollars: $99.9 billion
For those who have spent hours looking for the perfect flight, the best deal on a rental car, or a nice spot for date night, the likelihood is that they've used at least one of Booking Holdings' . The likes of Booking.com, Priceline, Kayak, and OpenTable all fall under the umbrella of the travel company.
#90. Broadcom
Market value in U.S. dollars: $100 billion
One of the world's largest electronics manufacturers in the world, Broadcom was originally based in Singapore but is now headquartered in San Jose, California. The semiconductor group offer a within wired infrastructure, wireless communications, enterprise storage, and industrial applications鈥攁s well as high-tech gadgets ranging from embedded processors to optocouplers.
#89. Allianz
Market value in U.S. dollars: $100.4 billion
Even some of the more casual soccer fans may be familiar with these German financial services company best known for their insurance and asset management services. Their logo graces the Allianz Arena in Munich, home to both FC Bayern Munich and the German national soccer team. In the wake of ever in 2017, the German insurance giant has seen shares fall nearly 9% this year.
#88. Accenture
Market value in U.S. dollars: $101 billion
Following suit of many companies in recent years, Accenture has made great strides financially in recent months from their decision to invest more heavily 鈥.鈥 The giants from Dublin, Ireland specialize in a handful of fields, including digital strategy, consulting, technology, and business operations.
#87. Volkswagen Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $101.4 billion
One of the world鈥檚 most powerful automotive companies in the world today, the German manufacturer has been slammed in recent years by blowback surrounding the rigging of . The brand has even darker historical origins, as it began by the decree of Adolf Hitler , who wanted a company which would produce 鈥淭he People鈥檚 Car.鈥
#86. China Life Insurance
Market value in U.S. dollars: $104.1 billion
Along with People's Insurance Company of China, China Life Insurance shook the entire insurance industry back in 2009 when a government audit revealed that China's two largest mainland insurers had been committing "" which involved approximately 3 billion yuan (roughly $450 million). While the sum sounds huge, it was not large enough to shake the performance of the state-owned company, which has been named amongst the Fortune Global 500 a remarkable .
#85. Altria Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $104.5 billion
This massive parent company based in Richmond, Va. is amongst the world's largest producers, manufacturers, and distributors of tobacco in the world, and it has the . Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, and John Middleton are all major Altria brands.
#84. Bayer
Market value in U.S. dollars: $104.6 billion
The Leverkusen, Germany-based pharmaceutical giants are known for their world-renowned prescription pills and over-the-counter remedies like Aleve, Aspirin, and Claritin, but recently, they鈥檝e begun to place a bigger emphasis on crop science. Liam Condon, President of Bayer鈥檚 crop science division, announced at a in Sao Paulo that 80 percent of Brazilian sales will come from the likes of 鈥渁grochemicals and licensing of genetically modified seeds,鈥 areas which are likely to see additional funding since Bayer鈥檚 acquisition of .
#83. Banco Santander
Market value in U.S. dollars: $106.3 billion
The namesake of its founding location on Spain鈥檚 northern coast, Banco Santander has gone global since it was opened in 1857 and is now headquartered in the massive metropolitan area of Mexico City. Much like its contemporaries in the financial services industry, its day-to-day business is heavily , with the banking group has cited Brexit, the Catalan push for independence, and American shifts in immigration and trade laws as potential risks to business.
#82. Texas Instruments
Market value in U.S. dollars: $106.9 billion
For anyone who has ever taken a complicated math or science class, they are probably familiar with the TI-Nspire or TI-84 calculators. However, this Dallas-based tech company has a than just quick math, as their amplifiers, clocks, motor devices, and wireless connectivity technology are all held in high esteem.
#81. Abbott Laboratories
Market value in U.S. dollars: $107.4 billion
Headquartered in Lake Bluff, Illinois, Abbott is a healthcare company which owns a broad range of generic drugs, medical equipment, and nutritional products. The first HIV-screening blood test was and its medical tests are now used worldwide.
#80. TD Bank Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $107.8 billion
Believe it or not, 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Most Convenient Bank鈥 is actually managed by a Canadian banking corporation. Toronto-Dominion Bank is based in Ontario鈥檚 biggest city and is the nation鈥檚 money manager of Canadian assets since their of Greystone Managed Investments Inc.
#79. Union Pacific
Market value in U.S. dollars: $109.7 billion
Union Pacific Railroad was founded in 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act, in support of a transcontinental railroad to open up the country. Moving goods across 32,000 of railroad track in the continental United States west of Chicago, Union Pacific touts its lines as a fuel-efficient alternative to traditional transportation, with the capacity to move one ton of freight .
#78. Honeywell International
Market value in U.S. dollars: $110.1 billion
Honeywell is amongst the largest and most diversified multinational conglomerates the world has to offer, operating in a . Most notably, the tech experts function in aerospace, home and building technologies, performance materials and technologies, and safety and productivity solutions.
#77. Nike
Market value in U.S. dollars: $110.3 billion
A reveals Adidas鈥 $7.9 billion valuation and Under Armour鈥檚 $4.4 billion valuation do not even add up to half that of Nike, whose $29.6 billion brand valuation makes them the #1 player in the sports apparel market. A big marketing success for the apparel giants over the years has been the such as LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, each of whom recently moved to new teams in what are sure to be big for the Beaverton, Oregon giants.
#76. AIA Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $111.4 billion
Along with its many subsidiaries, AIA Group comprises the "," which is not overwhelmingly surprising given that its headquarters are located in Hong Kong. The superhub of transportation and commerce was ranked by A.T. Kearney's as the fifth most global city in 2018, just behind Asia's leader in Tokyo at #4.
#75. China Merchants Bank
Market value in U.S. dollars: $112.4 billion
China Merchants Bank has been in hot water in recent months as former employees have alleged the company engages in . Xin Wang, a former corporate executive for the U.S. branch, claims her dismissal had to do with her advocacy of approving credit to neighborhoods that other members of the company would not, which she argues is the result of anti-black redlining.
#74. Siemens
Market value in U.S. dollars: $112.5 billion
Much like Allianz has made a name for itself in the world of sports sponsorship, Siemens has become well-known internationally through soccer sponsorships, namely with Real Madrid in the 2000s and their with Germany鈥檚 Bayern Munich. The multinational German tech conglomerate the Oakland, California office controls application Comfy, which allows workers to manage temperature, find conference rooms, and perform a handful of other useful functions in their offices.
#73. Naspers
Market value in U.S. dollars: $112.8 billion
One of the largest technology investors in the world, Cape Town鈥檚 Naspers Ltd. is easily Africa鈥檚 largest conglomerate. They have contributed capital toward the growth of a handful of , the likes of which include AutoTrader, Codecademy, and the Human Diagnosis Project (Human Dx).
#72. Royal Bank of Canada
Market value in U.S. dollars: $113.4 billion
While RBC is the largest bank in Canada in terms of market capitalization, it recognizes the pivotal importance in catering to its client pool south of the border, as well. By implementing , the Canadian bank allows its patrons to access funds seamlessly regardless of whether they鈥檙e based in Canada or the United States at that particular moment.
#71. Amgen
Market value in U.S. dollars: $115.8 billion
The biopharmaceutical giants from Thousand Oaks, California are amongst the many biotech companies taking initiatives to with burgeoning technologies. The integration of artificial intelligence will help developers enhance the treatments which have already made the company so successful, the likes of which include those for , and a handful of other common diseases.
#70. Medtronic
Market value in U.S. dollars: $116 billion
One of the world鈥檚 leading distributors of medical technologies, Minneapolis鈥 own Medtronic boasts an incredibly diverse . Founded as a for medical equipment in 1949, the company has grown to become one of the world leaders in healthcare systems and their devices treat just under 40 unique conditions.
#69. Novo Nordisk
Market value in U.S. dollars: $116.9 billion
This multinational pharmaceutical group hails from Scandinavia, with their headquarters in Bagsv忙rd, Denmark. Amongst their many health initiatives, Novo Nordisk proudly partnered with the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association in an active effort to combat the ever-growing threat of diabetes and heart diseases.
#68. Adobe Systems
Market value in U.S. dollars: $119.1 billion
Anyone who has ever watched a video on their computer, opened a PDF, or tried to edit a picture, they鈥檙e probably already somewhat familiar with what Adobe brings to the table. The software leaders out of San Jose have one of the most easily recognizable product portfolios in the entire computer technology market, the include InDesign, Flash Player, and Photoshop.
#67. British American Tobacco
Market value in U.S. dollars: $120.0 billion
Though the British multinational empire has made a name for itself through the manufacturing and distribution of like Camel and Newport cigarettes, the company is going in a new direction to fit the demands of its new age target market. BAT is expecting to make about 拢1 billion from smoking alternatives in 2018, as the likes of tobacco heating devices and e-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular.
#66. 3M
Market value in U.S. dollars: $121.8 billion
The conglomerate formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company is headquartered in the town of Maplewood. The multinational superbrand has amassed a great deal of success from its such as Post-it, Scotch-Brite, and Nexcare.
#65. Philip Morris International
Market value in U.S. dollars: $126.2 billion
While it鈥檚 entirely possible that some have never heard of this multinational cigarette conglomerate, it seems one can鈥檛 walk into an American gas station without seeing a pack of Phillip Morris鈥 biggest subsidiary: Marlboro. Ironically enough, the manufacturer of various tobacco products鈥 new mantra is 鈥淒esigning a Smoke-Free Future,鈥 which they believe is realistic in tobacco consumption.
#64. General Electric
Market value in U.S. dollars: $126.8 billion
This storied American firm which has been around for 125 years was on towards the end of former CEO Jeff Immelt鈥檚 tenure on June 12th, 2017. John Flannery took over shortly thereafter, releasing a for streamlining their operations and placing an emphasis on 鈥渁viation, power and healthcare鈥 going forward.
#63. McDonald's
Market value in U.S. dollars: $129.9 billion
Entrepreneur ranked McDonald鈥檚 atop the list of 2018鈥檚 , beating out the likes of 7-Eleven and Dunkin鈥 Donuts. Easily the world鈥檚 most recognizable fast food chain, Ronald McDonald鈥檚 Golden Arches can be seen at worldwide
#62. IBM
Market value in U.S. dollars: $132.3 billion
Founded on June 16, 1911, the International Business Machines Corporation operates in . The tech giants were well known before the inception of their all-knowing supercomputer Watson, but when IBM鈥檚 genius machine on Jeopardy back in 2011, the nation was put on notice.
#61. BHP Billiton
Market value in U.S. dollars: $133.2 billion
The product of a 2001 merger between BHP and the Billiton mining company, this Australian mining, metals, and petroleum organization is based in Melbourne, but operates on a global scale. Offices can be found in big cities across the world, with at least one BHP Billiton location on .
#60. L'Or茅al Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $134.2 billion
Headed in Clichy in the Hauts-de-Seine district of Paris, L鈥橭r茅al of course boasts its world-renowned self-titled beauty line, but also manages many household names which are cosmetic and fashion essentials. The French giants鈥 includes the likes of Lanc么me Paris, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Diesel, Garnier, and Maybelline New York.
#59. PepsiCo
Market value in U.S. dollars: $138.1 billion
While the food, snack, and beverage group is of course known best for its self-titled soda brand which rivals Coca Cola, it is also the parent company for , the likes of which include Starbucks, Doritos, and Tropicana. One of the world鈥檚 largest culinary conglomerates, PepsiCo is constantly in competition with its Atlanta-based rivals and has to continually update and improve its product portfolio as such.
#58. Sinopec
Market value in U.S. dollars: $138.6 billion
Short for the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, the oil and gas superpower based in Beijing, Sinopec has no shortage of connections with other petroleum heavyweights around the world. Just recently, one of its subsidiaries signed a contract worth more than $1 billion with the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, building on a relationship with the Middle Eastern nation .
#57. SAP
Market value in U.S. dollars: $138.9 billion
Perhaps one of the most appropriately named companies on Earth, the SAP acronym is short for Systems, Applications, and Products, which is exactly what the German multinational software experts provide. The tech giant based in Walldorf boasts more than 91,000 employees in more than 180 countries, as well as more than 150 million users subscribed to their cloud user base.
#56. Netflix
Market value in U.S. dollars: $141.9 billion
While the streaming superpower remains atop the hierarchy of online TV platforms with an in 2018, there is a threat on the rise. Hulu, long viewed as Netflix's primary competition, expects to reach a viewership total of 32 million in 2018, while Amazon Prime is expected to hit 85 million viewers in 2018.
#55. Kweichow Moutai
Market value in U.S. dollars: $142.4 billion
This Chinese beverage company, which is partially publicly traded and partially state-owned, dares its customers to try 鈥.鈥 While the 106-proof drink is very popular amongst consumers in the People鈥檚 Republic, its high international price point and even amongst classier restaurants makes it far less well-known in the United States.
#54. Comcast
Market value in U.S. dollars: $146.8 billion
While the telecommunications giant is the City of Brotherly Love鈥檚 on the Fortune 500 list, their economic impact on their city could only be matched by their physical presence, as they have permanently engraved themselves into the metropolis鈥 skyline. The Comcast Center, , is the city鈥檚 tallest building and the 22nd tallest in the United States.
#53. Walt Disney
Market value in U.S. dollars: $152.1 billion
While the American entertainment conglomerate based in Burbank, Calif. is best known for its animated classics like 鈥淭he Lion King,鈥 鈥淎laddin,鈥 鈥淭he Little Mermaid,鈥 and 鈥淔rozen,鈥 an important tenet of its business model is the massive attendance at its world famous theme parks. In 2017, parks and resorts represented the operating segment for the animation kings, raking in $18.42 billion, only $5 billion less than the company鈥檚 media networks.
#52. BP
Market value in U.S. dollars: $152.6 billion
While the wildlife that call the Gulf of Mexico home have yet to fully recover from the company鈥檚 disastrous oil spill in 2010, British Petroleum have seemingly bounced back just fine. In what appears to be an active effort to right their environmental wrongs of the past, BP , the United Kingdom鈥檚 largest operator of electric vehicles, forecasting hopes that there may be 12 million electric vehicles on the roads in Britain by the year 2040.
#51. NVIDIA
Market value in U.S. dollars: $154.5 billion
While the Santa Clara-based tech company is best known for its software, which is instrumental in developing some of the world's most popular video games, it has something newer and even more exciting on the horizon. On June 3, it introduced the availability of , a software development kit which makes it easier for programmers to incorporate artificial intelligence robotics into their systems.
#50. DowDuPont
Market value in U.S. dollars: $155.3 billion
When Dow Chemical and DuPont merged earlier in the year, it seemed simple enough to expect one new mega-company for the foreseeable future, though investors can apparently expect by early 2019. Analysts are split over whether or not to invest now or of Dow, DuPont, and Corteva Agriscience into three unique entities.
#49. Unilever
Market value in U.S. dollars: $155.8 billion
This British-Dutch superpower distributor of consumer goods is perhaps home to more household name brands than any of its competitors. The Rotterdam-based group is best known for its which boast premium product lines, such as Dove, Axe, and Rexona, though it also houses a handful of tastebud ticklers in the forms of Magnum, Lipton, and Hellmann鈥檚.
#48. Bank of China
Market value in U.S. dollars: $158.6 billion
Formally established in February 1912, the Bank of China quickly rose to prominence as a major state-owned bank. In 2016, the Bank of China was designated as a Global Systemically Important Bank for the , underscoring its role in the global economy at large.
#47. Merck & Co.
Market value in U.S. dollars: $160.6 billion
One of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Merck was established in 1891 and is currently headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Merck publishes the , and was the first company to back in 1942.
#46. AbbVie
Market value in U.S. dollars: $165.3 billion
The biopharmaceutical company was to pay $448 million in an anti-trust case pertaining to failures surrounding the testosterone gel AndroGel. While this sounds like a lot to the average consumer, this decision won't ultimately make a massive dent in the corporation's staggering $165 billion valuation.
#45. Total
Market value in U.S. dollars: $168.0 billion
Of the on Earth, Total is perhaps the least-well known by American consumers because its gas stations are far more infrequent in the United States than the likes of BP, Shell, and Chevron. The group has recently partnered with Pavillion Energy in an effort to , or liquefied natural gas, as a means of marine fuel in Singapore.
#44. Coca-Cola
Market value in U.S. dollars: $179.3 billion
Much like its mortal enemies over at PepsiCo, Coca-Cola is best known for its self-titled soft drink, but also boasts a , which are also fan-favorites. While Dasani and Minute Maid certainly come to mind as valuable subsidiaries of the Atlanta-based superpower, Sprite has risen to newfound heights in recent years with the help of celebrity endorsements from the likes of Drake, Vince Staples, and LeBron James.
#43. Ping An Insurance Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $181.4 billion
Meaning 鈥渟afe and well鈥 in Chinese, the Shenzhen-headquartered Ping An Insurance Group is the in the world. Beyonce insurance, Ping An also owns which deal with healthcare, peer-to-peer lending, and business-to-business connection.
#42. Agricultural Bank of China
Market value in U.S. dollars: $184.1 billion
One of the 鈥渂ig four鈥 banks in the biggest economic superpower in Asia, the Agricultural Bank of China is the world鈥檚 third largest bank in terms of total assets. It鈥檚 known colloquially by its acronym ABC.
#41. Anheuser-Busch InBev
Market value in U.S. dollars: $184.3 billion
While the Belgian-Brazilian beverage conglomerate may sound unfamiliar at first glance, consider that operate under its umbrella. The brewing giants headquartered in Leuven, Belgium are responsible for Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, Beck's, Bud Light, Carling Black Label, Foster's, Pilsener, and a handful of other delicious beers enjoyed by the millions on a daily basis.
#40. Procter & Gamble
Market value in U.S. dollars: $184.5 billion
Procter & Gamble boast , as it is the undisputed king of both household cleaning necessities and self-care products. Amongst the many brands managed by the Cincinnati-based conglomerate are grooming goods like Old Spice and Gillette, as well as floor fixers such as Swiffer and Bounty.
#39. Citigroup
Market value in U.S. dollars: $185.8 billion
One of the banks in the U.S., Citigroup鈥檚 headquarters in New York City led to its colloquial slogan 鈥淐iti never sleeps.鈥
#38. Roche Holding
Market value in U.S. dollars: $189.7 billion
Based in Basel, Switzerland, F. Hoffman-La Roche AG operates globally under two primary divisions: Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals. Their of Foundation Medicine could mean big things for investors, since Foundation Medicine was climbing in market price steadily up until this recent acquisition, which could mean good things for Roche.
#37. Oracle
Market value in U.S. dollars: $191.1 billion
A staple of Silicon Valley, the in the world is headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, and focuses on database software and cloud engineered systems. Larry Ellison, the iconic chief technology officer and former CEO, has a , more than half the market value of some of the smaller companies on this list.
#36. China Mobile
Market value in U.S. dollars: $192.6 billion
United States President Donald J. Trump has no short history of spats with China, and his recent tirade against the telecommunications company China Mobile is no exception. The head of state has moved to from offering services within the U.S. because of his claim that they pose "national security risks."
#35. AT&T
Market value in U.S. dollars: $198.3 billion
The American Telephone & Telegraph company has pivoted to the former since being founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1880, and has been in the news recently after a judge approved its of the mass media company Time Warner.
#34. Boeing
Market value in U.S. dollars: $199.5 billion
If one has ever flown anywhere with pretty much any airline, there is an overwhelming likelihood that they鈥檝e ridden aboard a Boeing aircraft. Its list of customers is as could be within the context of air travel, as the likes of United, Delta, and American Airlines all proudly fly Boeing-built planes.
#33. HSBC Holdings
Market value in U.S. dollars: $200.3 billion
The largest bank in Europe, HSBC, named for the initials of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, controls over $2.5 trillion in assets. Founded in Hong Kong in 1865 while still a British colony, HSBC has since relocated its global headquarters to London and operates worldwide.
#32. Toyota Motor
Market value in U.S. dollars: $200.7 billion
Perhaps a little known fact about this automotive behemoth is that the company name stems from its place of origin: Toyota, Japan, not too far outside the metropolis of Nagoya. The car, truck, and SUV manufacturer in the United States was responsible for in 2017 in the forms of the Camry and Corolla.
#31. Verizon Communications
Market value in U.S. dollars: $200.9 billion
Headquartered in New York City, Verizon is one of the largest multinational telecommunications conglomerates in the world and is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. In an effort to build better public relations with consumers, the telephone ogranization recently , which has the potential to save active service members and veterans up to $40 a month.
#30. Mastercard
Market value in U.S. dollars: $201.9 billion
The owner of a trademark on the word "Priceless," Mastercard is fittingly headquartered in Purchase, New York. In 2004, Mastercard paid a mind-boggling settlement of related to an antitrust lawsuit.
#29. Novartis
Market value in U.S. dollars: $203.0 billion
Novartis, a giant of pharmaceutical industry, is based in Basel, Switzerland though it serves customers all over the world. Novartis鈥檚 subsidiaries include eye care company Alcon which it currently , possibly for $20 billion.
#28. Taiwan Semiconductor
Market value in U.S. dollars: $203.0 billion
While many of the other companies on this list provide a plethora of goods and services across a wide array of consumer segments, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited knows exactly what it鈥檚 best at and sticks to it. The largest independent semiconductor foundry in the world has , and it is still under the guidance of the same man who founded it, CEO Arthur Wang.
#27. Pfizer
Market value in U.S. dollars: $207.7 billion
Putting the 鈥淏ig鈥 in 鈥淏ig Pharma,鈥 Pfizer is one of the world鈥檚 largest pharmaceutical companies and the manufacturer of pills such as Viagra, Lipitor, and Lyrica. They鈥檙e also one of the biggest forces in U.S. government lobbying, in 2017.
#26. Home Depot
Market value in U.S. dollars: $219.4 billion
Formed in 1978, the Home Depot's first two stores opened in Atlanta and the company went public just two years later. Now operating stores in all 50 states, all 10 provinces of Canada, and Mexico, Home Depot is the home improvement retailer.
#25. PetroChina
Market value in U.S. dollars: $220.2 billion
PetroChina is the listed branch of the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation, which is China鈥檚 second-biggest producer of the precious, expensive commodity. One of the largest employers in all of China at more than 300,000 employees, shares of the oil giants are somewhat affordable at about $72.85
#24. Cisco Systems
Market value in U.S. dollars: $221.3 billion
One of the most prominent of the many tech leaders based in California鈥檚 Bay Area, San Jose鈥檚 Cisco Systems is one of the biggest distributors of networking hardware on Earth. While the company was suffering from declining revenues in recent years, those figures have turned around in the last few fiscal quarters and are again.
#23. UnitedHealth Group
Market value in U.S. dollars: $229.0 billion
The United States鈥檚 , UnitedHealth Group is evolving amidst a culture of with doctors鈥 groups and pharmacies. It remains to be seen what changes to healthcare the Trump administration will manage besides , but you can bet when UHG has skin on the game, they have lobbying .
#22. Nestle
Market value in U.S. dollars: $237.3 billion
Simply put, Nestle is the gold standard for snacking. The food and beverage company is responsible for a handful of household brands for . Some of the most popular labels include KitKat, Gerber, Nescafe, and Coffee Mate.
#21. Walmart
Market value in U.S. dollars: $246.2 billion
The biggest employer in America encourages consumers to "Save Money. Live Better" by shopping at any of its discount retail supermarkets. The largest company in the United States by total revenue has been a subject of controversy of late, as it serves as a shining example of pay inequity at humongous companies. CEO Doug McMillon earned , a figure which is that of the median-earning Walmart employee.
#20. Chevron
Market value in U.S. dollars: $248.1 billion
Active in more than 180 countries around the world, Chevron is easily amongst the most powerful energy corporations on Earth. Aware of the platform it has and the capacity it holds to make the world a better place, Chevron takes seriously, making active efforts to improve people鈥檚 lives, whether that be finding talented youth in impoverished parts of the world or funding disease prevention projects.
#19. Intel
Market value in U.S. dollars: $254.8 billion
Regardless of what kind of electric device this article is being read on, there is a better than decent chance that it鈥檚 being powered in part by an Intel processor. The software company from Santa Clara has been experiencing steady growth every year, and following suit, it has taken more and more of that money, and invested it into research and development since 2009.
#18. China Construction Bank
Market value in U.S. dollars: $261.2 billion
Founded by the Ministry of Finance of the People鈥檚 Republic of China, the China Construction bank is another of China鈥檚 鈥渂ig four鈥 banks. In addition to its local branches, the bank has international locations in Hong Kong, Singapore, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Seoul, New York, Ho Chi Minh City, and Sydney.
#17. Wells Fargo
Market value in U.S. dollars: $265.3 billion
Despite a widely damaging scandal revealed in 2016 concerning the creation of 1.5 million accounts and credit cards that were never approved by its users, Wells Fargo stomached the fines and remains one of the most powerful banks in America. Its Wikipedia subsection titled may be over 2,000 words long, but when has that stopped a mega-corporation in America?
#16. Visa
Market value in U.S. dollars: $295.1 billion
Headquartered in Foster City, Calif., Visa is the world's largest credit card manufacturer and distributor by a healthy margin. With great profits comes great responsibility, and the company has well-documented instances on its website of the ways it provided relief to countless people in need both natural and political.
#15. Royal Dutch Shell
Market value in U.S. dollars: $306.5 billion
A logo recognizable anywhere, the golden shell is indicative of one of the world鈥檚 preeminent petroleum companies. Headquartered in The Hague in the Netherlands, the company is incorporated in the U.K. and has a great in Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East.
#14. ICBC
Market value in U.S. dollars: $311.0 billion
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is the largest in the world by total assets and has been the largest in the world by market capitalization since February of 2017. The bank recently underwent a bit of an executive shakeup as the executive director and senior executive vice president Zhang Hongli to the board of directors on July 2.
#13. Bank of America
Market value in U.S. dollars: $313.5 billion
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America is another one of the in the United States, managing in assets. Originally started as the Bank of Italy in San Francisco, it was repatriated, or rather renamed, into Bank of America National Trust And Savings Association in 1930.
#12. Samsung Electronics
Market value in U.S. dollars: $325.9 billion
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Samsung is one of the world鈥檚 largest consumer electronics companies on Earth. Best known for its TVs, tablets, refrigerators, and other household appliances, Samsung recently received backlash for a handful of smartphones that bugged out, sending users , though the tech giant has since corrected the mistake.
#11. Johnson & Johnson
Market value in U.S. dollars: $341.3 billion
The world's largest independent biotech company by market cap, Johnson & Jonson is based in New Brunswick, N.J. and offers a handful of medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and various packaged goods. Every year it releases a "Health and Humanity Report" in keeping with their primary objective of keeping
#10. ExxonMobil
Market value in U.S. dollars: $344.1 billion
Before Walmart rose to prominence in American consumerism, there were decades on decades of Exxon Mobil and General Motors on the Fortune 500. One of the world鈥檚 largest oil manufacturers, Exxon Mobil focuses on values of inclusion and diversity, which is a point it makes in the first line of the blurb on their .
#9. JPMorgan Chase
Market value in U.S. dollars: $387.7 billion
Though already an incredibly valuable company in its own right, JPMorgan has grown immensely since it was acquired by Chase Manhattan . Today it is one of America鈥檚 largest financial services provider and it houses one of the finance-based internship programs seeking out talented young people from across the country.
#8. Tencent Holdings
Market value in U.S. dollars: $491.3 billion
Worth quite more than a dime, Tencent is best known for WeChat, one of the most popular apps in the world with and a variety of social media and payment features. Through QQ Games, Tencent also offers a variety of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games and has subsidiaries in E-commerce, Video streaming, cloud computing, and several other tech sectors.
#7. Berkshire Hathaway
Market value in U.S. dollars: $491.9 billion
The financial giants headquartered in Omaha, Neb. simply cannot be separated from its owner Warren Buffett, the . The company is incredibly successful in a large part because it is the parent company to a with immense success, the most famous of which include Geico and Dairy Queen.
#6. Alibaba
Market value in U.S. dollars: $499.4 billion
Known for having the , Alibaba is the largest retailer and one of the biggest venture capital firms in the entire world. Founded only 19 years ago, Alibaba controls the Chinese-based retail subsidiaries Taobao and Aliexpress, along with several other cloud and AI-focused companies.
#5. Facebook
Market value in U.S. dollars: $541.5 billion
The Facebook, as it was once known, was started in a dormitory at Harvard, after founder Mark Zuckerberg鈥檚 previous site, which allowed students to compare two of their peers and determine who was more attractive, was shut down by the school. Since then, Facebook has become a symbol of the uncertain tech industry barreling forward into the world of , , and .
#4. Microsoft
Market value in U.S. dollars: $750.6 billion
Formed by smashing 鈥渕icrocomputer鈥 and 鈥渟oftware鈥 together, both name-wise and in practice, Microsoft was started by Paul Allen and Bill Gates in 1975 and now sells a variety of wares both soft and hard. Best known for the Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft also sells its Surface tablets and the popular line of Xbox video game consoles.
#3. Alphabet
Market value in U.S. dollars: $766.4 billion
Better known as Google鈥檚 parent company, Alphabet has a number of subsidiaries focused on cutting-edge fields, like and . CEO Larry Page was a co-founder of Google and is now the ninth-richest person in the world, with of $53.6 billion.
#2. Amazon.com
Market value in U.S. dollars: $777.8 billion
Founded in a garage by Jeff Bezos as an online bookstore, Amazon has grown into a giant of retail, selling hundreds of millions of products in the U.S. and abroad. Bezos, not content with being , has pushed Amazon to create as Amazon Studios and, with the acquisition of Whole Foods, is branching out into the grocery industry. Though he also owns the Washington Post, his next destination is out of this world 鈥 .
#1. Apple
Market value in U.S. dollars: $926.9 billion
Once helmed by college dropout Steve Jobs and now run by CEO Tim Cook, the iNnovators behind the iPhone, iPad, and Macintosh computers grew from a California garage into the largest company in the United States. Apple's focus on refined design and intuitive user interfaces has always propelled the company forward and made it an icon of technology, industry, and style.