Alphabet was the most lucrative company in 2024, with a net gain of US $ 100 billion, surpassing the total profit of the 500 companies in the first edition of the ranking in 1955. The data was released by Fortunewhich pointed to a profit set of $ 1.87 trillion for the 500 largest American companies – the highest value in nominal history.
Although the average profit margin on the list has remained between 5% and 7% over the past seven decades, two factors explain the current record, according to the publication.
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One of them is the enlarged scale. Fortune 500 companies generated 12.5 times more revenue in 2024 than in 1955, even with inflationary adjustment. The increase in the scale naturally boosted profits. In 1955, the joint profit was $ 8.3 billion (equivalent to $ 96 billion today).
Another is the domain of sectors with high margins. Technology and finance companies, known for their models “asset-light” – With low use of physical assets and margins that exceed 30% – they occupied central space on the list. In 2024, these two sectors accounted for 53% of the entire Fortune 500 profit.
To the Fortunethis new profile of profitability transforms the composition of the ranking. With giants such as Alphabet ahead, technology and finances consolidate themselves as the main engines of United States corporate results.
