Alphabet, Microsoft, Apple - the most profitable companies in the world

The world's largest companies generated amazing profits in the last year, with those in the technology field consolidating their lead over other sectors.

Visualcapitalist.com presents, using the latest Forbes Global 2000 and the companies' 12-month financial results (through the end of May), a ranking of the 30 most profitable companies in the world in 2026.

While technology dominates the top of the ranking, companies in the financial, energy, retail, healthcare and automotive sectors also occupy important places, highlighting where the world's largest corporate profits are concentrated.

• Technology, very profitable in 2026

Alphabet, the giant that owns Google, leads by a considerable margin ($160.2 billion) and is followed by Microsoft ($125.2 billion), Apple ($122.6 billion) and NVIDIA ($120 billion).

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and other platforms, had an estimated $71 billion in revenue, followed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) with $62 billion.

Spending on AI infrastructure, cloud computing, semiconductor demand and digital advertising have helped propel many technology companies to record profits. These businesses also tend to generate high margins as their platforms reach global scale, causing profits to grow faster than revenues, the source said.

Most of the largest technology companies have also made substantial investments in AI and IT in recent years. The AI boom has benefited companies across the technology supply chain, from chip designers like NVIDIA to manufacturers like Samsung and TSMC, to cloud providers including Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon.

• Top 10 Financial Companies

After technology, the sector that will host the most profitable companies in 2026 is financials, led by Berkshire Hathaway (No. 7, with $72.5 billion) and JPMorgan Chase (No. 10, with nearly $59 billion).

Originally a textile manufacturer, Berkshire Hathaway has grown into a multinational conglomerate with large positions and subsidiaries in manufacturing, infrastructure, retail, insurance and other sectors.

JPMorgan remains the world's largest bank by market capitalization, as well as the largest U.S. bank by total assets. Several of its major competitors also ranked in the top 30, including Bank of America ($32 billion), Wells Fargo ($22 billion) and China's ICBC ($51 billion).

• Leaders in Energy and Retail

Technology and financial companies dominate the rankings, accounting for more than two-thirds of the world's 30 most profitable companies. Outside of these sectors, only a handful of companies in energy, retail, pharmaceuticals and automotive make the top 10.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco made more profit ($99 billion) than any other energy company in the world, ahead of ExxonMobil ($25 billion) and PetroChina ($22 billion). Saudi Aramco ranks 5th globally in terms of profitability.

Meanwhile, retail giant Amazon ($91 billion), which recently became the world's largest company by revenue, overtook its main competitor, Walmart ($22 billion). Amazon's profits have grown rapidly since 2023, in part due to the expansion of its higher-margin businesses, including digital subscriptions and AWS, as well as advertising.