Ranking of the 50 most profitable companies worldwide 2023

In 2023, the Saudi Arabian oil company Saudi Aramco posted the highest revenue of any company in the world before taxes, with an income of over 247 billion U.S. dollars. Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Microsoft, and Alphabet 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, Apple was the largest company in the world in 2023, with Microsoft 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.