As of January 2025, the most profitable industry in the United States was the tobacco industry, with a net profit margin of ***** percent. The profit margin of the entertainment software industry was not too far behind, with a net profit margin of *****.

In 2023, the profits of the wholesale trade industry amounted to around 290.5 billion U.S. dollars. Corporate profits are defined as the net income of corporations in the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA). Total corporate profits amounted to 3.37 trillion U.S. dollars in Q1 of 2024.

Between 2019 and 2023, oil and gas explorers and producers logged the highest total revenue worldwide, reaching *** trillion U.S. dollars. Life and health insurance carriers followed behind.

As of January 2025, the advertising industry had a net profit margin of ******percent in the United States. The green and renewable energy industry had a net profit margin of ****** percent.

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.

Corporate Profits in the United States increased to 3259.41 USD Billion in the second quarter of 2025 from 3252.44 USD Billion in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Corporate Profits - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Market research companies have benefited from research and development (R&D) expenditure growth as companies develop new products to satisfy consumer demand. Downstream companies continue to rely on market research to create new products and campaigns that fit evolving consumer preferences. As companies strive to enhance consumer-centric strategies amid increased consumer spending, demand for tailored market research solutions has surged. A 10.7% surge in corporate profit over the past five years enabled businesses to outsource more of their research operations to professional market researchers. The digital shift has further transformed the landscape, with companies pioneering new research tools to tap into the vast potential of big data to enhance accessibility and participation. These trends have led to revenue growing at a CAGR of 3.8% to an estimated $36.4 billion over the past five years, including an estimated 2.1% boost in 2025 alone. Consumers' and advertisers' growing reliance on the internet has led to new metrics market researchers can use to better understand consumers. These have allowed new companies to enter the industry and driven providers to adjust services and implement new technologies. The rising use of social media to advertise and market new products across platforms like TikTok and Instagram also contributed to the growing demand for market research. These technological advancements improved data collection and analysis methods, offering actionable insights that helped companies refine marketing strategies and develop better products. New opportunities continue to drive revenue growth, but expansions to services and onboarding of new technology cut researchers’ profitability. Moving forward, the industry will benefit from acceleration in R&D budgets and technological and a data procurement evolution. Companies will strengthen their R&D budgets as economic conditions improve, further driving demand for advanced market research tools. The proliferation of online commerce and smart technologies will give researchers unprecedented access to consumer data. Technological developments, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are poised to create new metrics based on human reactions, which companies can leverage to better understand consumer behavior and preferences. Access to these metrics, however, will lead to tightening data privacy regulations, which may result in higher compliance costs that eat into profitability. Finally, growing emphasis on ethical practices, transparency and data security will shape consumer trust and research standards, creating new opportunities and challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Revenue is poised to grow at a CAGR of 2.4% to an estimated $41.0 billion through the end of 2030.

Scientific research and development (R&D) facilities have enjoyed significant growth over the past five years as the mix of accelerating medical innovation, new global conflicts and push to advance medical treatments provided a diversified demand niche for the industry. Skyrocketing corporate profit, which boosted 6.3% over the past five years, enabled private companies to massively increase their budgets for R&D. New conflicts in the Middle East and Europe generated a wider range of defense capability needs, causing public sector clients to contract R&D companies at a more rapid pace to advance research on weapons systems and military equipment. A robust push toward sustainability across clients’ product stream further advanced new technological research in facets such as biomedical treatments. In light of these trends and an acceleration of technological adoption, revenue spiked at a CAGR of 4.9% to an estimated $320.9 billion over the past five years, including an anticipated 3.1% boost in 2025 alone. The federal government is the largest and most consistent source of revenue, so changes in federal funding levels greatly affect servicers’ performance. Many R&D sites focus on military tech, so the Trump administration's support for defense spending brought on a surge revenue. While the Biden administration originally pushed for lower defense spending, serious conflicts involving the US's allies, namely Ukraine and Israel, have brought military innovation back to the forefront of budget discussions. Although revenue growth was strong, a rebound in wage expenditures following an inflationary spike has caused a slight slowdown in profit growth. Moving forward, scientific R&D companies will continue benefiting from anticipated growth in corporate profit and sector-wide support for new research projects. While still high at 4.3% as of February 2025, the eventual stabilization in interest rates will encourage new investment. The passing of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 will benefit research labs studying alternative fuels and clean energy through tax credits that encourage private investment. New technological advances, such as UAVs and EWs, will provide greater need for technically adept R&D companies that can help strengthen military equipment research and development for the future. Additionally, anticipated growth in overall research & development expenditure across the public and private sectors will provide more funding for R&D initiatives, creating a larger field of opportunity for new researchers. Overall, revenue is expected to boost at a CAGR of 3.2% to an estimated $375.7 billion over the next five years.

Economic volatility has a limited impact on warehouse clubs and supercenters because these retailers offer low-priced goods. When consumer sentiment is high, shoppers spend more time shopping and buying extra items. Conversely, when consumer sentiment is low, warehouse clubs and superstores draw a larger pool of consumers as households seek to cut expenses by buying in bulk for the future. Many of these retailers have been able to attract and retain more business by offering memberships and reward programs that disincentivize consumers from visiting the competition. Revenue for warehouse clubs and supercenters is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.1% to $768.3 billion through the end of 2025, including a jump of 1.9% in 2025. Profit is expected to account for 2.7% of revenue in 2020, a dip from 2020 because of strong competitive forces and inflation. Online companies can undercut traditional warehouse clubs and supercenters' prices by taking advantage of lower operational costs. The brick-and-mortar warehouse clubs and supercenters incur higher operational costs than online-based businesses because they pay for high-traffic retail space and require employees for daily operations. Retailers are increasingly optimizing their online presence for mobile shopping. Walmart has introduced a competing service known as Walmart+, which costs $98.00 annually. Walmart+ provides members with unlimited free deliveries, fuel discounts and a more streamlined in-store shopping experience via the Scan & Go feature on the Walmart app. Although this service emphasizes increasing Walmart's e-commerce sales, the fuel discounts and access to the Scan & Go feature on the company's app will encourage in-store purchases. Warehouse clubs and supercenters' revenue will climb as the domestic economy surges. Consumer spending and corporate profit boosts encourage future revenue growth by prompting more consumers to buy club memberships and spend on bulk purchases. Consumption rates will continue to climb across the US, promoting strong foot traffic and these retailers that often sell products in bulk. Nonetheless, increasing online competition will continue to threaten the industry as retailers like Amazon expand their customer base. Revenue for warehouse clubs and supercenters is expected to strengthen at a CAGR of 2.0% to $849.1 billion through the end of 2030.

As of January 2025, Amazon's market capitalization surpassed 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars, making it the most valuable internet company by market capitalization worldwide. Second-ranked Alphabet had a market capitalization of approximately 2.2 trillion U.S. dollars. Social networking company Meta Platforms (née Facebook Inc.) ranked third. Facebook is the leading social network worldwide and has successfully taken advantage of the increasingly mobile online environment. Amazon's position in the market Amazon is one of the biggest internet companies worldwide by revenue. It generates profit from its position as the world's largest online retailer. In 2023, the company's net sales revenue amounted to 574.78 billion U.S. dollars. The e-commerce giant's net revenue, generated through online stores, was 231.87 billion U.S. dollars. Google and its most profitable services Google, with the parent company Alphabet inc, generates its revenue mainly from advertising. The company uses its advertisement services, such as Google AdWords – which takes advantage of Google searches and appears as small advertisements next to search results – and Google AdSense, which generates advertisements based on a user's search history and location, among others. Advertisements based on AdSense appear across Google-owned sites, including YouTube and Google Finance. The online company also profits from the development of Android OS, licensing, and mobile apps. In 2024, Google’s total revenue amounted to 348.16 billion U.S. dollars.

The Information sector creates and distributes media content to US consumers and businesses. The Information sector responds to trends in household formation, which influences subscription volumes to communications services advertising expenditure, which generates nearly one-fourth of sector revenue, as well as consumer incomes and spending habits, which influence the extent to which households purchase discretionary entertainment products. The Information sector also sells some products and services directly to businesses and is influenced to a lesser extent by trends in corporate profit and business sentiment. The accelerated pace of digital transformation has fueled industry growth. As remote work and online learning became the norm, the demand for robust digital infrastructure and cloud services skyrocketed. This shift wasn't limited to cloud services alone, internet providers flourished spurred by the advent of 5G technology. Through the end of 2024, sector revenue will expand at a CAGR of 2.7% to reach $2.4 trillion, including a boost of 1.9% in 2024. Although consumer demand for media is generally steady and the Information sector has expanded consistently, revenue flows within the sector are uneven and determined by technology trends. Substantial expansion through the end of 2024 has stemmed from a proliferation of new consumer devices. However, most of the expansion has been concentrated on online publishing and data processing at the expense of more traditional information subsectors. For example, new digital channels have detracted from print advertising expenditure, which has dipped during the current period and curtailed print publishing. An expansion in mobile devices and the emergence of online streaming services have made consumers less reliant on more traditional communication services like wired voice, broadband internet and cable TV. Looking ahead, the information sector is poised for sustained growth over the next five years, fueled by rising consumer spending and private investment. As the economy recovers and interest rates stabilize, disposable incomes are poised to climb, allowing households to avail themselves of more digital subscriptions and services. The rollout of 5G will further augment mobile internet usage, potentially challenging wired broadband alternatives. Traditional media companies will continue to pivot to online platforms and streaming services, aiming to retain and expand their audience. Through the end of 2029, the Information sector revenue will strengthen at a CAGR of 2.2% to reach $2.7 trillion.

Financial data service providers offer financial market data and related services, primarily real-time feeds, portfolio analytics, research, pricing and valuation data, to financial institutions, traders and investors. Companies aggregate data and content from stock exchange feeds, broker and dealer desks and regulatory filings to distribute financial news and business information to the investment community. Recent globalization of the world capital market has benefited the financial sector and increased trading speed. Businesses rely on real-time data more than ever to help them make informed decisions. When considering a data service provider, an easy-to-use interface that shows customized, relevant information is vital for clients. During times of economic uncertainty, this information becomes more crucial than ever. Clients want information as soon and as frequently as possible, causing providers to prioritize efficiency and delivery. This was evident during the pandemic, the high interest rate environment in the latter part of the period and as the Fed cuts rates in 2024. Increased automation has helped industry players process large volumes of financial data, reducing analysis and reporting times. In addition, automation has reduced operational costs and reduced human data errors. These trends have resulted in growing revenue, which has risen at a CAGR of 3.2% to $21.9 billion over the past five years, including a 3.5% uptick in 2024 alone. Corporate profit will continue to expand as inflationary concerns begin to wane slowly. This will lead many companies to take on new clients as financial data helps them gain insight into operating their business amid ongoing trends and economic shakeups. With technology constantly advancing, service providers will continue investing in research and development to improve their products and services and best serve their clients. As technological advances continue, smaller players will be able to better compete with larger industry players. While this may lead to new companies joining the industry, larger providers will resume consolidation activity to expand their customer base. Overall, revenue is expected to swell at a CAGR of 2.7% to $25.0 billion by the end of 2029.

Landscaping services had a market value of approximately 178 billion U.S. dollars in the United States in 2024. This translated to a growth rate of 7.2 percent between 2023 and 2024. In 2016, the market size of landscaping services surpassed 100 billion U.S. dollars for the first time. A growing services industry The market value of landscaping services in the United States was not the only financial segment within this industry that demonstrated significant growth over the last few years. The combined revenue of the leading landscaping companies in North America also showed a substantial increase in profits throughout the last decade. Furthermore, the average annual expenditure on gardening/lawn care services per consumer unit in the United States exhibited a constant increase in spending since 2015. Both trends suggest that landscaping services will continue to grow in the foreseeable future. Major players In 2024, the most profitable landscaping services company in the United States by a large distance was Brightview, who generated a revenue of almost three billion U.S. dollars. Brightview are the only publicly traded landscape management company in the world, which may explain their exponential growth over the last several years. TruGreen, the company with the third highest revenue in 2024, still recorded one billion U.S. dollars less profit than Brightview in the same year.

Over the past five years, for-profit universities have faced mounting headwinds amid regulatory tightening, inflation and negative public perception. While data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that overall postsecondary enrollment grew by just 0.5% from 2020 to 2025, enrollment at for-profit institutions shrank by 4.1%. Ballooning student debt and rising tuition, made worse by inflation in 2022 and 2023, have driven many recent graduates and adult learners to second-guess the value of higher education, especially degrees from for-profit schools with poor graduate earnings. Government regulations added further strain as the Biden administration's 2024 reinstatement of gainful employment rules once again linked access to federal funding to graduate debt-to-income ratios. At the same time, for-profit schools battled declining revenue as affordable nonprofit and vocational programs drew away budget-conscious students. Industry revenue has dropped at a CAGR of 0.5% to an estimated $13.6 billion over the five years through 2025. A faltering reputation has played a major role in the industry's decline. According to Federal Student Aid data, for-profit universities are repeatedly criticized for low graduation rates, weak graduate earnings and high student loan default rates—the highest across any demographic. Allegations of predatory practices remain in the headlines, exemplified by Walden University's $28.5 million lawsuit settlement in 2024. Although these institutions offer flexible scheduling and lower tuition rates that appeal to low-income and nontraditional students, the public remains wary. Studies indicate that most programs with no positive return on investment are at for-profit colleges. Meanwhile, stricter government scrutiny and the widespread availability of earnings and debt data have made poor outcomes highly visible, solidifying the negative perception. Many for-profit universities have shuttered, though some have managed to retain profit by closing physical locations. For-profit universities will continue facing a decline over the next five years. IBISWorld expects for-profit university enrollment to drop at an annualized 1.1% through 2030, outpaced by modest growth at nonprofit and vocational schools, where graduates see better employment outcomes. Uncertainty in regulations, including the possible repeal of the 90/10 rule, adds more volatility, while the lack of broad student loan forgiveness will likely suppress affordability and demand. As students and job seekers prioritize educational outcomes and cost, one in seven for-profit universities is expected to close by 2030. For-profit universities' revenue is set to sink at a CAGR of 0.3% to an estimated $13.4 billion through the next five years.

Exxon Mobil was the leading oil and gas producing company worldwide by net income as of 12-month rolling data from August 2025. Many oil supermajors are among the most profitable oil and gas companies. Exxon Mobil's net income was highest in 2022, when it reached more than 50 billion U.S. dollars. Oil and gas industry The oil and gas industry is one of the largest industries worldwide. This sector is involved in exploration, extraction, refining, transport, and marketing of petroleum commodities. Many industries rely heavily on oil and gas products as fuels and feedstocks. It is no wonder then that oil and gas companies are regularly among the most profitable companies worldwide. State-owned enterprises are largest producers State-owned businesses are among the largest within the oil and gas industry. Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco is by far the leading oil company worldwide based on daily oil production, at over ********** barrels per day. ExxonMobil was the largest non-state-owned oil producer, at ************* barrels per day in 2024.

The Americas are Apple’s largest regional market, bringing in net sales of 52.65 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of the company’s 2025 fiscal year. Europe and Greater China are two other major markets for Apple. U.S.: Apple’s biggest market The high revenue generated from the Americas is largely due to Apple’s strong performance in their home market, the United States. Apple has the largest market share among smartphone vendors in the U.S. by a large margin. Although international sales have a growing share of Apple’s total revenue, the U.S. still counts for around 42 percent of Apple’s net sales. The U.S. also has the highest concentration of Apple stores, which is Apple’s own chain of retail stores that showcase and sell Apple’s various products including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, among others. iPhone: Apple’s most profitable product The iPhone, initially released in 2007, became Apple’s most successful product: The share of iPhone sales consistently amount to more than 55 percent of Apple’s overall share of sales. The early generations of iPhone revolutionized the mobile phone industry and popularized the use of smartphones. Now in the 18th generation, the new iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max continue to contribute to the success of Apple’s signature product, helping push for year-on-year iPhone sales growth despite the economic recession we are experiencing.

Banco de Fomento Angola accumulated the highest profit value among Angolan banks in 2021. That year, the financial institution registered 153.8 billion Kwanzas (358.2 million U.S. dollars) in profits. Banco Angolano de Investimento followed with 141.5 billion Kwanzas (329.5 million U.S. dollars) in profits. Standard Bank Angola and Banco BIC also ranked as the most profitable banks in the country.

The growth of the Internet since its inception has fueled strong demand and profitability for web design services, as both businesses and households increasingly conduct activities online. The pandemic accelerated this trend, forcing businesses to upgrade their digital presence amid lockdowns and remote work, which resulted in significant revenue gains for web designers in 2020. This trend continued in 2021 as the strong economic recovery boosted corporate profit and gave businesses greater funds to invest in the industry’s services. More recently, high inflation and rising interest rates have raised costs and curtailed demand, with some businesses opting for cheaper alternatives like templates rather than custom web design, contributing to a drop in revenue in 2022. Despite these challenges, rising stock prices linked to AI advancements pushed business income substantially upward, enabling further investment in web design through 2023 and 2024 and benefiting revenue. However, high inflation and rising interest rates have recently raised costs and curtailed demand, with some businesses opting for cheaper alternatives like templates rather than custom web design. In response to shifting client expectations, web designers now prioritize mobile-first design, rapid performance, personalization and interactive content. These adaptations, along with investments in new technologies, have allowed web designers—especially smaller ones—to differentiate themselves and sustain long-term growth. Overall, revenue for web design services companies has swelled at a CAGR of 2.3% over the past five years, reaching $47.4 billion in 2025. This includes a 1.5% rise in revenue in that year. Market saturation will limit revenue growth for website designers moving forward. With nearly all US adults now using the Internet, opportunities for finding new customers are dwindling as internet usage approaches universality. As a result, major providers may turn to mergers and acquisitions to maintain market share, while smaller companies will likely focus on niche markets or specific geographies to secure stable income. Additionally, tariffs imposed by the Trump administration could further restrain demand by increasing consumer prices, reducing disposable income and pushing the economy toward recession. In response, web designers may expand geographically to find new clients. Amid these headwinds, AI and automation technologies are transforming design workflows, increasing efficiency while fostering a greater need for skilled workers and enabling more tailored services. Companies are also adapting by prioritizing inclusivity and sustainability, attracting broader demographics and eco-conscious clients. Overall, revenue for web design services providers is forecast to inch upward at a CAGR of 1.1% over the next five years, reaching $49.9 billion in 2030.

According to estimates, Amazon claimed the top spot among online retailers in the United States in 2023, capturing 37.6 percent of the market. Second place was occupied by the e-commerce site of the retail chain Walmart, with a 6.4 percent market share, followed in third place by Apple, with 3.6 percent.

Amazon’s continued success

Amazon has long dominated the e-commerce market as the world’s favorite online marketplace. In 2022, company hit over half a trillion U.S. dollars in net sales. The United States is by far Amazon’s most profitable market, as the U.S. branch generated over 356 billion U.S. dollars in sales in 2022. Germany ranked second, with 33 billion dollars, followed closely by the United Kingdom with 30 billion dollars.

Online shopping on the rise

Online shopping has grown significantly over the past decade, with more people turning to the internet for their shopping needs. The proof is in the numbers: the U.S. e-commerce industry was worth almost a trillion dollars in 2023. By 2027, forecasts show that the online market will grow to more than 50 percent. U.S. online shoppers purchase fashion and food and beverages the most via the internet.

This statistic shows the portion of revenue-generating cannabis businesses in the U.S. that are profitable, as of 2016. It was found that marijuana testing labs were the most profitable type of cannabis business, with ** percent reportedly being very profitable.