The 25 Most Profitable Companies in the US
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The 25 Most Profitable Companies in the US

DW labs Incorporated / Shutterstock.com
DW labs Incorporated / Shutterstock.com

The pandemic rolled over America’s small businesses like an avalanche. Some were already struggling and COVID-19 was the final straw. Others were thriving, but thriving in industries like dining or hospitality that were hit first and worst. For other small businesses, the virus was a slow, steady grind that bled their balance sheets drip by drip over many long, hard months.

Support Small: Don’t Miss Out on Nominating Your Favorite Small Business To Be Featured on GOBankingRates — Ends May 31

Then there were America’s big corporations, which had a much different experience in 2020. For the biggest telecoms, pharmaceutical companies, retail giants, tech corporations and money movers, the pandemic was a gold mine — just another batch of dollars to be harvested.

In order to find the companies that profited the most during the pandemic, GOBankingRates consulted the 2020 Fortune 500 list and ranked each winner by their profits, but also included data on things like revenue, market value, assets and the number of employees.

Keep reading to find out which companies had the money and muscle not to survive 2020, but to thrive.

Last updated: May 12, 2021

Merck-and-Co-Inc
Merck-and-Co-Inc

25. Merck

  • Fortune 500 rank: 69

  • Profits: $9,843,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 58.2%

  • Revenues: $46,840,000,000

  • Assets: $84,397,000,000

  • Market value: $195,140,500,000

  • Employees: 71,000

  • Profit per employee: $138,633.80

Read More: Popular Brands That Could Disappear in 2021

Disney
Disney

24. Walt Disney

  • Fortune 500 rank: 49

  • Profits: $11,054,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -12.3%

  • Revenues: $69,570,000,000

  • Assets: $193,984,000,000

  • Market value: $174,405,400,000

  • Employees: 223,000

  • Profit per employee: $49,569.51

Did You Know: Disney’s 27 Biggest Controversies

Oracle,Stocks, investment, business, shares, dividends, worth, value, stock market, shareholder
Oracle,Stocks, investment, business, shares, dividends, worth, value, stock market, shareholder

23. Oracle

  • Fortune 500 rank: 82

  • Profits: $11,083,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 189.8%

  • Revenues: $39,506,000,000

  • Assets: $108,709,000,000

  • Market value: $152,412,700,000

  • Employees: 136,000

  • Profit per employee: $81,492.65

Read: Top Environmentally-Friendly Companies To Invest In

ST.
ST.

22. Home Depot

  • Fortune 500 rank: 26

  • Profits: $11,242,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 1.1%

  • Revenues: $110,225,000,000

  • Assets: $51,236,000,000

  • Market value: $200,665,000,000

  • Employees: 415,700

  • Profit per employee: $27,043.54

Find Out: Costco and 17 Other Companies That Raised Their Minimum Wage to $15 (or More)

Szczecin, Poland-November 2018: Amazon Logistics Center in Szczecin, Poland in the light of the rising sun,panorama.
Szczecin, Poland-November 2018: Amazon Logistics Center in Szczecin, Poland in the light of the rising sun,panorama.

21. Amazon

  • Fortune 500 rank: 2

  • Profits: $11,588,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 15.0%

  • Revenues: $280,522,000,000

  • Assets: $225,248,000,000

  • Market value: $970,680,100,000

  • Employees: 798,000

  • Profit per employee: $14,521.30

Discover: 23 Secret Ways To Save Money on Amazon

SAN JOSE, CA/USA - JULY 30, 2017: Cisco corporate headquarters and logo.
SAN JOSE, CA/USA - JULY 30, 2017: Cisco corporate headquarters and logo.

20. Cisco

  • Fortune 500 rank: 63

  • Profits: $11,621,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 10,464.5%

  • Revenues: $51,904,000,000

  • Assets: $97,793,000,000

  • Market value: $166,709,000,000

  • Employees: 75,900

  • Profit per employee: $153,109.35

Did You Know: Brands With the Most Obsessive Fans

YEKATAERINBURG, RUSSIA - JAN 07, 2015: Pile of Visa credit cards.
YEKATAERINBURG, RUSSIA - JAN 07, 2015: Pile of Visa credit cards.

19. Visa

  • Fortune 500 rank: 137

  • Profits: $12,080,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 17.3%

  • Revenues: $22,977,000,000

  • Assets: $72,574,000,000

  • Market value: $316,199,100,000

  • Employees: 19,500

  • Profit per employee: $619,487.18

Discover: Top 20 Companies for Remote Work in 2021

Comcast
Comcast

18. Comcast NBCUniversal

  • Fortune 500 rank: 28

  • Profits: $13,057,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 11.3%

  • Revenues: $108,942,000,000

  • Assets: $263,414,000,000

  • Market value: $156,533,300,000

  • Employees: 190,000

  • Profit per employee: $68,721.05

Read: Cinnamon Toast Crunch and 9 More Big Brands Who Stumbled During Huge PR Scandals

United-Healthcare-Group
United-Healthcare-Group

17. UnitedHealth Group

  • Fortune 500 rank: 7

  • Profits: $13,839,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 15.5%

  • Revenues: $242,155,000,000

  • Assets: $173,889,000,000

  • Market value: $236,555,200,000

  • Employees: 325,000

  • Profit per employee: $42,581.54

See: Coke Joins Other Consumer Brands in Raising Prices to Offset Higher Costs

Mishawaka, Indiana, United States, March 23rd, 2019.
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States, March 23rd, 2019.

16. AT&T

  • Fortune 500 rank: 9

  • Profits: $13,903,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -28.2%

  • Revenues: $181,193,000,000

  • Assets: $551,669,000,000

  • Market value: $209,387,500,000

  • Employees: 247,800

  • Profit per employee: $56,105.73

Did You Know: 25 Female Fortune 500 CEOs

15. Fannie Mae

  • Fortune 500 rank: 24

  • Profits: $14,160,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -11.3%

  • Revenues: $120,304,000,000

  • Assets: $3,503,319,000,000

  • Market value: $1,841,400,000

  • Employees: 7,500

  • Profit per employee: $1,888,000.00

Find Out: 6 Companies You Love That Are Now Online-Only

Exxon Mobil corporate sign outside of their headquarters in the Asia-Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, circa November, 2017.
Exxon Mobil corporate sign outside of their headquarters in the Asia-Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, circa November, 2017.

14. Exxon Mobil

  • Fortune 500 rank: 3

  • Profits: $14,340,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -31.2%

  • Revenues: $264,938,000,000

  • Assets: $362,597,000,000

  • Market value: $160,696,300,000

  • Employees: 74,900

  • Profit per employee: $191,455.27

Fun Facts: 100-Year-Old Companies Still in Business Today

Tucson, AZ July 21, 2019: Walmart Store Building Sign.
Tucson, AZ July 21, 2019: Walmart Store Building Sign.

13. Walmart

  • Fortune 500 rank: 1

  • Profits: $14,881,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 123.1%

  • Revenues: $523,964,000,000

  • Assets: $236,495,000,000

  • Market value: $321,803,300,000

  • Employees: 2,200,000

  • Profit per employee: $6,764.09

Read: 10 Retail Stocks That Could Rally in 2021

February 3, 2018 Fremont / CA / USA - Johnson & Johnson logo in front of one of their office buildings, Fremont, East San Francisco bay area, California.
February 3, 2018 Fremont / CA / USA - Johnson & Johnson logo in front of one of their office buildings, Fremont, East San Francisco bay area, California.

12. Johnson & Johnson

  • Fortune 500 rank: 35

  • Profits: $15,119,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -1.2%

  • Revenues: $82,059,000,000

  • Assets: $157,728,000,000

  • Market value: $345,704,900,000

  • Employees: 132,200

  • Profit per employee: $114,364.60

Find Out: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 22: Pfizer Inc.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 22: Pfizer Inc.

11. Pfizer

  • Fortune 500 rank: 64

  • Profits: $16,273,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 45.9%

  • Revenues: $51,750,000,000

  • Assets: $167,489,000,000

  • Market value: $181,074,900,000

  • Employees: 88,300

  • Profit per employee: $184,292.19

Read: Biggest Product Flops From 20 Major Companies

Facebook app on smartphone
Facebook app on smartphone

10. Facebook

  • Fortune 500 rank: 46

  • Profits: $18,485,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -16.4%

  • Revenues: $70,697,000,000

  • Assets: $133,376,000,000

  • Market value: $475,455,200,000

  • Employees: 44,942

  • Profit per employee: $411,307.91

Related: 17 Companies Facebook Famously Purchased and How They’re Doing Now

A Verizon Wireless store in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
A Verizon Wireless store in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

9. Verizon Communications

  • Fortune 500 rank: 20

  • Profits: $19,265,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 24.1%

  • Revenues: $131,868,000,000

  • Assets: $291,727,000,000

  • Market value: $222,220,000,000

  • Employees: 135,000

  • Profit per employee: $142,703.70

Did You Know: Companies With Surprisingly Great 401(k) Plans

London, United Kingdom - 24th September, 2006: Citigroup Centre office building complex in Canary Wharf, Docklands in London.
London, United Kingdom - 24th September, 2006: Citigroup Centre office building complex in Canary Wharf, Docklands in London.

8. Citigroup

  • Fortune 500 rank: 31

  • Profits: $19,401,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 7.5%

  • Revenues: $103,449,000,000

  • Assets: $1,951,158,000,000

  • Market value: $88,376,500,000

  • Employees: 200,000

  • Profit per employee: $97,005.00

Find Out: The Best Companies for Working Moms

Wells Fargo bank financial services
Wells Fargo bank financial services

7. Wells Fargo

  • Fortune 500 rank: 30

  • Profits: $19,549,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -12.7%

  • Revenues: $103,915,000,000

  • Assets: $1,927,555,000,000

  • Market value: $117,365,700,000

  • Employees: 259,800

  • Profit per employee: $75,246.34

See More: 10 Steps To Finding a Better Bank

Hillsboro, Oregon, USA - February 19, 2011: Just west of Portland is the largest Intel manufacturing and research facility in the world producing the latest semiconductor products.
Hillsboro, Oregon, USA - February 19, 2011: Just west of Portland is the largest Intel manufacturing and research facility in the world producing the latest semiconductor products.

6. Intel

  • Fortune 500 rank: 45

  • Profits: $21,048,000,000

  • Profits percent change: N/A

  • Revenues: $71,965,000,000

  • Assets: $136,524,000,000

  • Market value: $231,661,900,000

  • Employees: 110,800

  • Profit per employee: $189,963.90

Discover: The Most-Loved Company in Every State

Bank of America branch in Knoxville, TN
Bank of America branch in Knoxville, TN

5. Bank of America

  • Fortune 500 rank: 25

  • Profits: $27,430,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -2.5%

  • Revenues: $113,589,000,000

  • Assets: $2,434,079,000,000

  • Market value: $185,226,900,000

  • Employees: 208,131

  • Profit per employee: $131,792.00

Did You Know: How Much Is Bank of America Worth?

Indianapolis - Circa February 2017: JPMorgan Chase Operations Center.
Indianapolis - Circa February 2017: JPMorgan Chase Operations Center.

4. JPMorgan Chase

  • Fortune 500 rank: 17

  • Profits: $36,431,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 12.2%

  • Revenues: $142,422,000,000

  • Assets: $2,687,379,000,000

  • Market value: $276,750,100,000

  • Employees: 256,981

  • Profit per employee: $141,765.34

Read: 40 Legit Companies That Will Pay You To Work From Home

Redmond, WA, USA - January 30, 2018: One of the biggest Microsoft signs is placed next to green trees at a public intersection near Microsoft's Redmond campus.
Redmond, WA, USA - January 30, 2018: One of the biggest Microsoft signs is placed next to green trees at a public intersection near Microsoft's Redmond campus.

3. Microsoft

  • Fortune 500 rank: 21

  • Profits: $39,240,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 136.8%

  • Revenues: $125,843,000,000

  • Assets: $286,556,000,000

  • Market value: $1,199,549,700,000

  • Employees: 144,000

  • Profit per employee: $272,500.00

Did You Know: How Much is CEO Satya Nadella Worth?

Apple electronic technology store in China
Apple electronic technology store in China

2. Apple

  • Fortune 500 rank: 4

  • Profits: $55,256,000,000

  • Profits percent change: -7.2%

  • Revenues: $260,174,000,000

  • Assets: $338,516,000,000

  • Market value: $1,112,640,800,000

  • Employees: 137,000

  • Profit per employee: $403,328.47

Read: Apple Pay and 4 Other Digital Wallets That Are COVID-Safe

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/Shutterstock (11851855a)In this photo illustration Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/Shutterstock (11851855a)In this photo illustration Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

1. Berkshire Hathaway

  • Fortune 500 rank: 6

  • Profits: $81,417,000,000

  • Profits percent change: 1,924.8%

  • Revenues: $254,616,000,000

  • Assets: $817,729,000,000

  • Market value: $442,897,100,000

  • Employees: 391,500

  • Profit per employee: $207,961.69

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: In order to find the most profitable companies in the U.S., GOBankingRates looked at Fortune.com’s 2020 Fortune 500 data to source the 25 U.S.-based companies with the largest (1) profits in 2020. GOBankingRates also found for each company: (2) Fortune 500 2020 rank; (3) profits percent change from 2019; (4) revenues in 2020; (5) assets for 2020; (6) market value; (7) total employees; and (8) profit per employee. All data were collected and up to date as of May 3, 2021.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 25 Most Profitable Companies in the US

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