ExxonMobil ranks first among the United States' top ten oil and gas producing companies based on market capitalization. As of December 18, 2024, the Texas-based oil supermajor had a market cap of 474.71 billion U.S. dollars. ExxonMobil can not only trace its roots back to the early years of commercial oil production, it has also become one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. It is active in all areas of the supply chain, from hydrocarbon extraction to retailing of gasoline. What is market cap? As opposed to sales or assets, market capitalization is a metric used to determine a company’s size by the worth of their outstanding shares on the stock market. ExxonMobil often ranks as the leading oil and gas company based on market cap worldwide. However, its net income is often significantly lower than that of state-owned entities such as Saudi Aramco. The differing ratios exemplify how market cap is not a hard figure like net profits, but inflates and fluctuates according to the perceived value of a company, influenced by less quantifiable factors. The role of oil and gas in the world economy The oil and gas industry is involved in exploration, extraction, refining, transport, and marketing of hydrocarbons. Many industries are extremely dependent on oil and gas products, mostly in the form of fuels or raw materials for chemical products. The oil and gas industry is one of the largest worldwide, and it would follow that companies involved within the industry are among the top companies worldwide by revenue.