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Ranked: America’s Top Company by Revenue, Over Time (1955–2025)

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America’s Top Company by Revenue, Over Time (1955–2025)

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Key Takeaways

  • General Motors (GM) dominated for nearly 40 years, leading America’s revenue rankings from 1955 through the 1990s.
  • ExxonMobil overtook GM during oil boom periods in the 1970s, 1980s, and 2000s.
  • Walmart has held the top spot for 21 of the last 25 years, and now generates over $680 billion annually.

America’s corporate landscape has transformed dramatically over the last century.

From the industrial powerhouses of the mid-20th century to today’s retail and tech titans, the companies leading by revenue reveal how the U.S. economy itself has evolved.

This graphic uses data from the Fortune 500 via LLC Attorney to chart America’s top company by annual revenue from 1955 to 2025. Revenue figures are not adjusted for inflation.

From General Motors to Walmart

For decades, automobile giant GM was the unrivaled leader of American industry.

From 1955 to 1974, GM topped the Fortune 500 every single year, fueled by the postwar auto boom and the dominance of U.S. manufacturing. Its revenues rose from just $9.8 billion in 1955 to $35.8 billion by 1974. That’s worth nearly $249 billion in 2025 after adjusting for inflation.

Year Top revenue company in the U.S. Annual revenue of the top company (USD, billions)
1955 General Motors $9.8
1956 General Motors $12.4
1957 General Motors $10.8
1958 General Motors $11.0
1959 General Motors $9.5
1960 General Motors $11.2
1961 General Motors $12.7
1962 General Motors $11.4
1963 General Motors $14.6
1964 General Motors $16.5
1965 General Motors $17.0
1966 General Motors $20.7
1967 General Motors $20.2
1968 General Motors $20.0
1969 General Motors $22.8
1970 General Motors $24.3
1971 General Motors $18.8
1972 General Motors $28.3
1973 General Motors $30.4
1974 General Motors $35.8
1975 Exxon Mobil $42.1
1976 Exxon Mobil $44.9
1977 Exxon Mobil $48.6
1978 General Motors $55.0
1979 General Motors $63.2
1980 Exxon Mobil $79.1
1981 Exxon Mobil $103.1
1982 Exxon Mobil $108.1
1983 Exxon Mobil $97.2
1984 Exxon Mobil $88.6
1985 Exxon Mobil $90.9
1986 General Motors $96.4
1987 General Motors $102.8
1988 General Motors $101.8
1989 General Motors $121.1
1990 General Motors $127.0
1991 General Motors $125.1
1992 General Motors $123.8
1993 General Motors $132.8
1994 General Motors $133.6
1995 General Motors $155.0
1996 General Motors $168.8
1997 General Motors $168.4
1998 General Motors $178.2
1999 General Motors $161.3
2000 General Motors $189.1
2001 Exxon Mobil $210.4
2002 Walmart $219.8
2003 Walmart $246.5
2004 Walmart $258.7
2005 Walmart $288.2
2006 Exxon Mobil $339.9
2007 Walmart $351.1
2008 Walmart $378.8
2009 Exxon Mobil $442.9
2010 Walmart $408.2
2011 Walmart $421.8
2012 Exxon Mobil $452.9
2013 Walmart $469.2
2014 Walmart $476.3
2015 Walmart $485.7
2016 Walmart $482.1
2017 Walmart $485.9
2018 Walmart $500.3
2019 Walmart $514.4
2020 Walmart $524.0
2021 Walmart $559.2
2022 Walmart $572.8
2023 Walmart $611.3
2024 Walmart $648.1
2025 Walmart $681.0

Following GM’s dominance, ExxonMobil emerged as the new leader in the 1970s and 1980s. Surging oil prices during the energy crises pushed the petroleum giant ahead, and it frequently traded the top spot with GM across the next two decades.

It’s also important to note that the Fortune 500 included only U.S. industrial companies until 1995, when financial and service companies became part of the ranking.

By the early 2000s, Walmart took the baton, building its dominance based on its massive scale of operations. Walmart became America’s top company by revenue in 2002, generating $220 billion at the time. Two decades later, it has nearly tripled that figure to over $680 billion in 2025, while claiming the top spot for 21 of the last 25 years.

How America’s Corporate Giants Have Shifted

The long-term trends tell the story of America’s shifting economic priorities. The 20th century was led by manufacturing, the early 21st century by energy, and the current era by retail, logistics, and technology.

Even as tech companies like Apple and Amazon climb the ranks, Walmart’s unmatched global distribution network and sheer scale have kept it firmly ahead. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil remains one of the few industrial-era leaders still near the top, underscoring the enduring strength of the energy sector.

Over time, these trends highlight how the definition of “big business” in America has evolved—from factories and oil fields to logistics and consumer goods.

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