In 2024, the**************************************o posted the highest revenue of any company in the world before taxes, with an income of over *** billion U.S. dollars. ************************************************** rounded out the top five spots in the ranking of most profitable companies. What is net income? Net income, or net profit, which differs slightly from pre-tax income, is the figure that gives the most complete overview of a company’s profitability: It is calculated as the revenue of a company less all operating expenses, debt payments, interest paid, income from subsidiary holdings, taxes, etc. Different industries have different net profit margins. The Apple doesn’t fall far In terms of market value, Microsoft was the largest company in the world in 2024, with Apple following in second. Since the beginning of the new millennium, Apple has reported ever rising amounts of worldwide revenue, with iPhone sales leading the charge.

Greece GR: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 26.200 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 26.100 % for 2014. Greece GR: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 26.000 % from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2015, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.700 % in 2006 and a record low of 24.600 % in 2003. Greece GR: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Greece – Table GR.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

The World Top Incomes Database provides statistical information on the shares of top income groups for 30 countries. The construction of this database was possible thanks to the research of over thirty contributing authors. There has been a marked revival of interest in the study of the distribution of top incomes using tax data. Beginning with the research by Thomas Piketty of the long-run distribution of top incomes in France, a succession of studies has constructed top income share time series over the long-run for more than twenty countries to date. These projects have generated a large volume of data, which are intended as a research resource for further analysis. In using data from income tax records, these studies use similar sources and methods as the pioneering work by Kuznets for the United States.The findings of recent research are of added interest, since the new data provide estimates covering nearly all of the twentieth century -a length of time series unusual in economics. In contrast to existing international databases, generally restricted to the post-1970 or post-1980 period, the top income data cover a much longer period, which is important because structural changes in income and wealth distributions often span several decades. The data series is fairly homogenous across countries, annual, long-run, and broken down by income source for several cases. Users should be aware also about their limitations. Firstly, the series measure only top income shares and hence are silent on how inequality evolves elsewhere in the distribution. Secondly, the series are largely concerned with gross incomes before tax. Thirdly, the definition of income and the unit of observation (the individual vs. the family) vary across countries making comparability of levels across countries more difficult. Even within a country, there are breaks in comparability that arise because of changes in tax legislation affecting the definition of income, although most studies try to correct for such changes to create homogenous series. Finally and perhaps most important, the series might be biased because of tax avoidance and tax evasion. The first theme of the research programme is the assembly and analysis of historical evidence from fiscal records on the long-run development of economic inequality. “Long run” is a relative term, and here it means evidence dating back before the Second World War, and extending where possible back into the nineteenth century. The time span is determined by the sources used, which are based on taxes on incomes, earnings, wealth and estates. Perspective on current concerns is provided by the past, but also by comparison with other countries. The second theme of the research programme is that of cross-country comparisons. The research is not limited to OECD countries and will draw on evidence globally. In order to understand the drivers of inequality, it is necessary to consider the sources of economic advantage. The third theme is the analysis of the sources of income, considering separately the roles of earned incomes and property income, and examining the historical and comparative evolution of earned and property income, and their joint distribution. The fourth theme is the long-run trend in the distribution of wealth and its transmission through inheritance. Here again there are rich fiscal data on the passing of estates at death. The top income share series are constructed, in most of the cases presented in this database, using tax statistics (China is an exception; for the time being the estimates come from households surveys). The use of tax data is often regarded by economists with considerable disbelief. These doubts are well justified for at least two reasons. The first is that tax data are collected as part of an administrative process, which is not tailored to the scientists' needs, so that the definition of income, income unit, etc., are not necessarily those that we would have chosen. This causes particular difficulties for comparisons across countries, but also for time-series analysis where there have been substantial changes in the tax system, such as the moves to and from the joint taxation of couples. Secondly, it is obvious that those paying tax have a financial incentive to present their affairs in a way that reduces tax liabilities. There is tax avoidance and tax evasion. The rich, in particular, have a strong incentive to understate their taxable incomes. Those with wealth take steps to ensure that the return comes in the form of asset appreciation, typically taxed at lower rates or not at all. Those with high salaries seek to ensure that part of their remuneration comes in forms, such as fringe benefits or stock-options which receive favorable tax treatment. Both groups may make use of tax havens that allow income to be moved beyond the reach of the national tax net. These shortcomings limit what can be said from tax data, but this does not mean that the data are worthless. Like all economic data, they measure with error the 'true' variable in which we are interested. References Atkinson, Anthony B. and Thomas Piketty (2007). Top Incomes over the Twentieth Century: A Contrast between Continental European and English-Speaking Countries (Volume 1). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 585 pp. Atkinson, Anthony B. and Thomas Piketty (2010). Top Incomes over the Twentieth Century: A Global Perspective (Volume 2). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 776 pp. Atkinson, Anthony B., Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez (2011). Top Incomes in the Long Run of History, Journal of Economic Literature, 49(1), pp. 3-71. Kuznets, Simon (1953). Shares of Upper Income Groups in Income and Savings. New York: National Bureau of Economic Research, 707 pp. Piketty, Thomas (2001). Les Hauts Revenus en France au 20ème siècle. Paris: Grasset, 807 pp. Piketty, Thomas (2003). Income Inequality in France, 1901-1998, Journal of Political Economy, 111(5), pp. 1004-42.

As of June 2025, "Avatar" (2009) was the most commercially successful movie of all time, grossing about 2.92 billion U.S. dollars at box offices across the globe. "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) and "Avatar: The Way of Water " (2022) followed, with revenues of around 2.8 billion and 2.32 billion dollars, respectively. Franchises and the pandemic impact In 2021, worldwide box office revenue grew by over 80 percent and reached 21.3 billion dollars. Yet the figure amounts to less than 51 percent of the value recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. Yet the success of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021) suggests that the performance of major movie franchises at the box office may continue strong in a post-pandemic scenario. The format, which includes cases like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars, has been a safe bet for Hollywood as it tends to pursue fans already interested in films part of consolidated brands. U.S. & Canada as a movie market Moviegoers in Canada and the U.S. usually turn to the largest players of this industry. North American cinema circuits such as AMC, Cineworld, Cinemark, and Cineplex have over 1.5 thousand sites spread across the two countries. Historically, movie genres like adventure and action attract most of the audience in the U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, niches such as horror, romantic comedy (romcoms), and musicals rely largely on the most enthusiastic fans of each segment.

Brazil BR: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 41.000 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 41.600 % for 2021. Brazil BR: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 44.550 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2022, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.100 % in 1989 and a record low of 39.500 % in 2020. Brazil BR: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-earning soccer player in the world in 2025, being paid around 275 million U.S. dollars a year. The bulk of this sum came from on-field income, such as salary and bonuses. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi earned around 135 million U.S. dollars per year, with a larger share coming from off-pitch income. Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo? Messi and Ronaldo have been compared throughout their careers, with both players having exceptional ability. On the one hand, Ronaldo is the record goal scorer in the UEFA Champions League and holds many of the individual records in the competition. However, Messi has the one medal that Ronaldo could never win: the World Cup. The Argentinian lifted the famous trophy in 2022 after an exhilarating tournament, in which he scored seven goals. Ronaldo and Al-Nassr: an example of sportswashing? Ronaldo is undoubtedly the most well-known player to ever play in the Saudi Pro League, earning a salary more than most people can only dream of. Outside of soccer, Saudi Arabia’s investment in sporting events has been substantial, and human rights organizations have accused the country of using sport to whitewash – or sportswash – human rights abuses. Following his move to Al-Nassr, Amnesty International called on Ronaldo to bring attention to human rights issue in the country. Ronaldo, meanwhile, said he wanted to provide a different vision of the club and country.

In 2023, it was estimated that YouTube Mr. Beast (Jimmy Donaldson) ranked first as the top-earning YouTuber worldwide with earnings of approximately ** million U.S. dollars. Comedic duo Rhett & Link ranked second, with an estimate of ** million U.S. dollars earned during the last measured year. Fourth-ranked Ryan Kaji, who goes by Ryan on his YouTube channel, called Ryan's World, is 12 years old and earned ** million U.S. dollars in the past year, surpassing YouTuber Jake Paul. YouTube most popular channels and creators Created in 2005, YouTube has become one of the most popular social networks worldwide. In 2023, YouTube had approximately *** million users worldwide. As of February 2024, the most-subscribed YouTube channels did not only include popular video game commentators or comedy creators, but also children-specific channels, such as nursery rhymes channel Cocomelon, Kids Diana Show, and Like Nastya. Beauty and skincare YouTubers were also among the most beloved content creators for users on the social video platforms, with channels such as Sandra Cires Art and Jeffree Star recording over ** million subscribers as of March 2024. Content for children In 2023, U.S. children were estimated to have spent over ** minutes per day on average watching YouTube content. Despite being based on user-generated content such as make-up tutorials, toy reviews, or comedy sketches, YouTube channels for kids present professional video production values and full-time work commitment to the platform. As of March 2024, Cocomelon had over ***** billion views, while the Kids Diana Show had over *** billion views.

As of January 2025, the Marvel Cinematic Universe series was the highest-grossing film franchise with total worldwide box office revenue of ***** billion U.S. dollars. "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) was Marvel's highest-grossing movie with *** billion dollars in global revenue. The "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter" series followed with worldwide box office revenues of about ***** billion and **** billion dollars, respectively. May the profit be with you The Star Wars series started in the late 1970s and has captured the attention of nerds and moviegoers in general ever since. Released just before the COVID-19 outbreak, the latest film of the saga, "The Rise of Skywalker," recorded a global box office revenue of over *** billion dollars. This is almost **** times more than the production of the movie had cost. The success of the franchise goes beyond the realm of cinema. The video game Star Wars: Squadrons, for instance, sold over *** million digital copies worldwide in the first month of its release in October 2020. Fantastic box offices: where to find them again? While Star Wars has a history of peaks and valleys, the Harry Potter franchise seems to be jinxed since the launching of its prequel series, Fantastic Beasts. The box office revenue of "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" (2018) stood below *** million dollars worldwide. This is the lowest revenue generated by a movie from the Harry Potter universe since the brand debuted on the big screen in 2001. The amount is also nearly ** percent below the global box office of its predecessor, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (2016).

The most successful Bollywood movie at the global box office was 'Dangal', which generated over ** billion Indian rupees in box office takings worldwide as of 2025. The list was populated by several productions either starring or directed by actor, Aamir Khan. Indian films beyond Bollywood Many believe that Bollywood is synonymous with the Indian film industry, but there is far more to it than that. Bollywood is the Hindi language film industry based in Mumbai and is just one component of the larger Indian film industry, which is made up of various production centers in various languages. Nowadays, South Indian films have a growing fan base not just among native speakers but also Hindi audiences and the Indian diaspora worldwide. Tamil and Telugu cinema, respectively known as Kollywood and Tollywood, are among the major contributors of Indian cinema in terms of both revenue and releases. Asia's leading film markets When it comes to Asian cinema, Bollywood isn’t the only multi-million dollar film industry. Chinese films are also proving to be popular with audiences, considering the box office revenue of the most successful movies of all time in China. As of May 2018, the most successful movie ever in China was Chinese director Wu Jing's action film ‘Wolf Warriors 2’, and in second place was 'Operation Red Sea' which generated ******* million Yuan at the Chinese box office.

As of June 11, 2025, ******** dethroned The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) to be the highest-grossing movie of all time in China, raking in more than ** billion yuan. With a budget of just ** million U.S. dollars, the Chinese fantasy adventure film has achieved unprecedented success in global cinemas and is now the best-selling Asian animation movie of all time. Far behind was The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021), China's most expensive film ever made to date, with about *** billion yuan in box office revenue. ************************ was the only foreign film in the top ten ranking. The Marvel superhero film generated a total box office revenue of over **** billion yuan in China. In recent years, the country has invested a great deal of its resources in film making and distribution. China’s homemade blockbusters China remains a significant share in global's cinema market. Similar to other leading cinema markets in the world, China’s film industry primarily produces feature films. Sci-fi movies were considered the most undersupplied genre among Chinese audience. The Wandering Earth received much critical acclaim as one of China’s most stunning sci-fi productions, grossing about *** billion yuan in box office revenue. Critics lauded it as China’s answer to Hollywood productions such as Interstellar and Gravity. Foreign film market in China Foreign films often face a strict censorship by the Chinese authorities. Hollywood productions, like Avatar, Deadpool, The Da Vinci Code, were banned because of sensitive topics or conveying ideologies contradictory to traditional Chinese values. Although more overseas filmmakers are trying to avoid content considered unfavorable by the Chinese government, the market share of imported movies in terms of movie screenings has remained below ** percent since 2015. In terms of box office revenues, foreign enterprises made up less than ** percent of the total revenue between 2020 and 2023. In 2024, none of the Hollywood movies could earn over one billion yuan in box office revenue in the Chinese market.

Russia Household Income: Year to Date: Group 5: 20% of Households with Highest Income data was reported at 46.800 % in Dec 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 46.200 % for Sep 2018. Russia Household Income: Year to Date: Group 5: 20% of Households with Highest Income data is updated quarterly, averaging 46.800 % from Mar 1995 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 96 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 53.200 % in Mar 1999 and a record low of 43.200 % in Jun 1997. Russia Household Income: Year to Date: Group 5: 20% of Households with Highest Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HA012: Household Income Structure.

In 2023, Universal Music Group had a physical revenue market share of **** percent, and also held the highest digital share that year among the individual companies, remaining the largest record company in the world. While Sony saw a slight drop in their physical revenue market shares, independent record companies reached a share of **** percent, making up the largest part of the market.

The New York Yankees are one of the most famous sports teams in the world. It is therefore unsurprising that the baseball team, based at Yankee Stadium in New York City, generated the second-highest revenue in the league at *** million U.S. dollars in 2024. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers topped the list that year with a revenue of *** million U.S. dollars. Baseball's most successful franchises As well as financial success off the field, the New York Yankees are one of the most successful teams in the MLB. The Yankees have won a record ** World Series Championships, with their closest rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, having lifted the trophy on ** occasions. However, the Bronx-based team have found success harder to come by in recent years, with the last World Series title coming back in 2009. MLB revenue The MLB has seen its total league revenue grow steadily since the turn of the century. Despite the inevitable hit during the coronavirus pandemic, revenues exceeded ** billion U.S. dollars for the first time in 2023. This revenue comes from a variety of sources including local media, team sponsorships, and concessions. In the 2022 season, just over *********** of the MLB's revenue came from national media, while almost ********* was generated through seating and suites.

Households Income Ratio: 10% with High Income to 10% with Low Income: CF: Orel Region data was reported at 14.400 NA in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.500 NA for 2022. Households Income Ratio: 10% with High Income to 10% with Low Income: CF: Orel Region data is updated yearly, averaging 11.200 NA from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.800 NA in 2008 and a record low of 8.000 NA in 1999. Households Income Ratio: 10% with High Income to 10% with Low Income: CF: Orel Region data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HA016: Household Income Ratio: 10% with High Income to 10% with Low Income.

Russia Money Income: AM: Households Group 10: 10% with Highest Income data was reported at 72,538.000 RUB in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 64,826.700 RUB for Jun 2018. Russia Money Income: AM: Households Group 10: 10% with Highest Income data is updated quarterly, averaging 40,064.400 RUB from Mar 2005 to Sep 2018, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 72,538.000 RUB in Sep 2018 and a record low of 11,861.500 RUB in Mar 2005. Russia Money Income: AM: Households Group 10: 10% with Highest Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HA023: Household Disposable Resources: by Household Groups: Income.

China Income per Capita: Urban: Highest Income data was reported at 69,877.340 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 64,460.670 RMB for 2011. China Income per Capita: Urban: Highest Income data is updated yearly, averaging 11,584.655 RMB from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2012, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69,877.340 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 1,383.720 RMB in 1985. China Income per Capita: Urban: Highest Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Urban.

Russia Household Income: Year to Date: Group 4: 20% of Households with High Income data was reported at 22.600 % in Dec 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22.700 % for Sep 2018. Russia Household Income: Year to Date: Group 4: 20% of Households with High Income data is updated quarterly, averaging 22.600 % from Mar 1995 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 96 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.900 % in Jun 1997 and a record low of 18.200 % in Mar 1999. Russia Household Income: Year to Date: Group 4: 20% of Households with High Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HA012: Household Income Structure.

AM: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 23.000 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.600 % for 2021. AM: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 25.200 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2022, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.700 % in 2004 and a record low of 21.500 % in 2020. AM: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Armenia – Table AM.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Jordan JO: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data was reported at 42.400 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 41.700 % for 2008. Jordan JO: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 43.800 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2010, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.000 % in 1992 and a record low of 41.700 % in 2008. Jordan JO: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Jordan – Table JO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Kazakhstan KZ: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 22.600 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 22.600 % for 2014. Kazakhstan KZ: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 24.100 % from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2015, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.700 % in 2005 and a record low of 22.500 % in 2013. Kazakhstan KZ: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kazakhstan – Table KZ.World Bank: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.