The profitability of companies is typically judged by their net income, which represents total earnings after all expenses, taxes, and costs are subtracted from total revenue.

There are a few criteria which are considered when comparing the profitability of companies. These criteria include revenue, profit margin and Return on Assets (RoA) among others. Professional analysts tend to focus more on the net income and profit margin to get a clearer picture of how much the company is making. “The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits,” economist Milton Friedman wrote in 1970.

The world is filled with companies making profits in millions and billions of dollars. Below, 10 of the world’s most profitable companies are revealed:

1. Saudi Arabian Oil Co.

Saudi Arabian Oil CO., also known as Saudi Aramco, is the national oil and gas company of Saudi Arabia with speciality in the production of petroleum and natural gas. The company’s history can be traced back to 1933. Saudi Aramco most notably operates the Ghawar Field (the world’s largest onshore oil field) and the Safaniya Field (the world’s largest offshore oil field). They also specialise in the production of industrial compounds from synthetic materials, with profits amounting to $300 million.

2. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. specialises in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, utilities and energy, freight rail transportation, finance, manufacturing and retailing services. Berkshire Hathaway’s latest financial reports put its earnings at $424.23 billion, ranking it in second place amongst the world’s most profitable companies.

3. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd.

This company was founded on January 1, 1984 with its headquarters located in Beijing, China. This is a finance-based company that engages in the provision of commercial banking and financial services. As of 2024, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) reported a net income of approximately $59.6 billion for the year. This yearly revenue generation is the third highest in the world.

4. Alphabet Inc. (Google)

The net worth of Alphabet Inc. is approximately $1.91 trillion. This company works in different areas of tech, like the main Google services people use every day, its growing cloud business, and a bunch of other experimental projects. This company has over 135,000 employees worldwide with $96.47 billion in revenue generated in 2024.

5. Apple

Apple is popularly known for its iPhones, iPads, and Mac personal computers, but it has other products like the Vision Pro headset. Apple has successfully created a global community, keeping its users loyal to the brand by creating an ecosystem for users of their various products. With approximately 164,000 employees worldwide, the company ranks fifth on the list of most profitable companies with an annual net income of $36.33 billion.

6. Microsoft Corp.

This company engages in the development of licenses and supports a wide range of software, services and hardware products. Microsoft’s market cap has been on the rise in recent years as a result of the strategic moves in AI, video game systems, and other profit-yielding businesses. Microsoft is regarded as an ageing giant gradually losing its relevance but the annual operating income for 2024 was $109.433 billion.

7. Meta

Meta connects families, friends and even co-workers worldwide through its different platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Oculus, Threads, Messenger and WhatsApp. Meta’s income is primarily driven by advertising revenue from Facebook and Instagram. In 2024, advertising contributed $131.9 billion out of a total revenue of $164.50 billion. This represents 97.8% of Meta’s total revenue. The company also generated AI revenue, contributing to a total revenue increase of 22% year-on-year. Meta-owned platforms are some of the most profitable companies in the world.

8. JP Morgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. provides financial services such as personal and business banking, investment help, financial transaction processing and managing assets. The company offers these services to people, companies, organisations and governments all around the world. JP Morgan Chase made $14 billion in profits in the final quarter of 2024. Its full-year profits reached an all-time high of $58 billion, the most ever in the history of American banking.

9. China Construction Bank Corp.

China Construction Bank (CCB) is a major bank in China, with its headquarters in Beijing. It is one of the country’s top four banks and operates in many countries around the world. CCB provides a variety of financial services to both businesses and individuals. According to China Construction Bank’s latest financial reports, the company’s current revenue (TTM) is $104.14 billion.

10. Agricultural Bank of China

Established in 1951, this is a Chinese state-owned company specialising in financial service provision and multinational banking services. According to the Agricultural Bank of China, its current revenue (TTM) is $98.71 billion, with more branches in rural China than all the banks in the United States.