From the mid-20th century into the early 21st, America’s love affair with the automobile kept a car manufacturer (General Motors) and an oil company (Exxon) in the top five spots among the biggest U.S. companies. Americans drive both for work and pleasure, and they need gas to fuel their cars, so their success is hardly surprising.
Between 1955 and 1974, GM reigned as the country’s biggest corporation. After ‘74, GM and Exxon traded the No. 1 position back and forth for some years, with Ford and Mobil occasionally slipping in. (Exxon and Mobil merged in 1999 to become ExxonMobil.) It wasn’t until 2002 that retailing giant Walmart first overtook both as the nation’s largest corporation. Another interesting change occurred in 2019. Although Walmart held onto the top position, mega online retailer Amazon eased into second place.
E-commerce has clearly become the category to beat in recent years. According to Jungle Scout, a platform for e-commerce sellers, Walmart attributed $47.8 billion in net sales to e-commerce in fiscal year 2022. During the fiscal 2022 second quarter earnings call in August, Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon estimated the global company’s online sales would hit $75 billion by the end of the year. (Online or otherwise, here are 29 things you should never buy at Walmart.)
Yet Amazon remains the undisputed king in the online sales arena. In its first quarter earnings report, Amazon reported net sales rose 7% to $116.4 billion in the first quarter, compared with $108.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021. In the coming years, Walmart and Amazon will likely be trading places as the biggest U.S. corporation. (These are the corporations that made skyrocketing profits in 2021.)
Click here to see the biggest US company the year you were born
To determine the biggest company the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed annual revenue figures for companies on the Fortune 500 each year from 1955 through 2021, as well as data from company press releases and SEC financial filings. Some corporate names have changed over the years, but we’ve used the abbreviated popular name of each for clarity.
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1955
1. General Motors: $9.82 billion
2. Exxon: $5.66 billion
3. U.S. Steel: $3.25 billion
4. General Electric: $2.96 billion
5. Esmark: $2.51 billion
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Source: Phil Burchman / Getty Images
1956
1. General Motors: $12.44 billion
2. Exxon: $6.27 billion
3. Ford: $5.59 billion
4. U.S. Steel: $4.10 billion
5. Chrysler: $3.47 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1957
1. General Motors: $10.80 billion
2. Exxon: $7.13 billion
3. Ford: $4.65 billion
4. U.S. Steel: $4.23 billion
5. General Electric: $4.09 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1958
1. General Motors: $10.99 billion
2. Exxon: $7.83 billion
3. Ford: $5.77 billion
4. U.S. Steel: $4.41 billion
5. General Electric: $4.34 billion
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Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1959
1. General Motors: $9.52 billion
2. Exxon: $7.54 billion
3. Ford: $4.13 billion
4. General Electric: $4.12 billion
5. U.S. Steel: $3.47 billion
Source: Harvey Meston / Getty Images
1960
1. General Motors: $11.23 billion
2. Exxon: $7.91 billion
3. Ford: $5.36 billion
4. General Electric: $4.35 billion
5. U.S. Steel: $3.64 billion
Source: Express / Getty Images
1961
1. General Motors: $12.74 billion
2. Exxon: $8.04 billion
3. Ford: $5.24 billion
4. General Electric: $4.20 billion
5. U.S. Steel: $3.70 billion
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Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1962
1. General Motors: $11.40 billion
2. Exxon: $8.44 billion
3. Ford: $6.71 billion
4. General Electric: $4.46 billion
5. Mobil: $3.32 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1963
1. General Motors: $14.64 billion
2. Exxon: $9.54 billion
3. Ford: $8.09 billion
4. General Electric: $4.79 billion
5. Mobil: $3.93 billion
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1964
1. General Motors: $16.50 billion
2. Exxon: $10.26 billion
3. Ford: $8.74 billion
4. General Electric: $4.92 billion
5. Mobil: $4.35 billion
Source: Harvey Meston / Getty Images
1965
1. General Motors: $17.00 billion
2. Exxon: $10.82 billion
3. Ford: $9.67 billion
4. General Electric: $4.94 billion
5. Mobil: $4.50 billion
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Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1966
1. General Motors: $20.73 billion
2. Ford: $11.54 billion
3. Exxon: $11.47 billion
4. General Electric: $6.21 billion
5. Chrysler: $5.30 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1967
1. General Motors: $20.21 billion
2. Ford: $12.24 billion
3. Exxon: $12.19 billion
4. General Electric: $7.18 billion
5. Chrysler: $5.65 billion
Source: Evening Standard / Getty Images
1968
1. General Motors: $20.03 billion
2. Exxon: $13.27 billion
3. Ford: $10.52 billion
4. General Electric: $7.74 billion
5. Chrysler: $6.21 billion
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Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1969
1. General Motors: $22.76 billion
2. Exxon: $14.09 billion
3. Ford: $14.08 billion
4. General Electric: $8.38 billion
5. Chrysler: $7.45 billion
Source: Harvey Meston / Getty Images
1970
1. General Motors: $24.30 billion
2. Exxon: $14.93 billion
3. Ford: $14.76 billion
4. General Electric: $8.45 billion
5. IBM: $7.20 billion
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1971
1. General Motors: $18.75 billion
2. Exxon: $16.55 billion
3. Ford: $14.98 billion
4. General Electric: $8.73 billion
5. IBM: $7.50 billion
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Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1972
1. General Motors: $28.26 billion
2. Exxon: $18.70 billion
3. Ford: $16.43 billion
4. General Electric: $9.43 billion
5. IBM: $8.27 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1973
1. General Motors: $30.44 billion
2. Exxon: $20.31 billion
3. Ford: $20.19 billion
4. General Electric: $10.24 billion
5. Chrysler: $9.76 billion
Source: Pictorial Parade / Getty Images
1974
1. General Motors: $35.80 billion
2. Exxon: $25.72 billion
3. Ford: $23.02 billion
4. Chrysler: $11.77 billion
5. General Electric: $11.58 billion
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1975
1. Exxon: $42.06 billion
2. General Motors: $31.55 billion
3. Ford: $23.62 billion
4. Texaco: $23.26 billion
5. Mobil: $18.93 billion
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Source: Keystone / Getty Images
1976
1. Exxon: $44.87 billion
2. General Motors: $35.73 billion
3. Texaco: $24.51 billion
4. Ford: $24.01 billion
5. Mobil: $20.62 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1977
1. Exxon: $48.63 billion
2. General Motors: $47.18 billion
3. Ford: $28.84 billion
4. Texaco: $26.45 billion
5. Mobil: $26.06 billion
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1978
1. General Motors: $54.96 billion
2. Exxon: $54.13 billion
3. Ford: $37.84 billion
4. Mobil: $32.13 billion
5. Texaco: $27.92 billion
Source: Tony Duffy / Getty Images
1979
1. General Motors: $63.22 billion
2. Exxon: $60.34 billion
3. Ford: $42.78 billion
4. Mobil: $34.74 billion
5. Texaco: $28.61 billion
Source: FPG / Getty Images
1980
1. Exxon: $79.11 billion
2. General Motors: $66.31 billion
3. Mobil: $44.72 billion
4. Ford: $43.51 billion
5. Texaco: $38.35 billion
Source: Gene Forte / Getty Images
1981
1. Exxon: $103.14 billion
2. Mobil: $59.51 billion
3. General Motors: $57.73 billion
4. Texaco: $51.20 billion
5. Chevron: $40.48 billion
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Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1982
1. Exxon: $108.11 billion
2. Mobil: $64.49 billion
3. General Motors: $62.70 billion
4. Texaco: $57.63 billion
5. Chevron: $44.22 billion
Source: Tony Duffy / Getty Images
1983
1. Exxon: $97.17 billion
2. General Motors: $60.03 billion
3. Mobil: $59.95 billion
4. Texaco: $46.99 billion
5. Ford: $37.07 billion
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1984
1. Exxon: $88.56 billion
2. General Motors: $74.58 billion
3. Mobil: $54.61 billion
4. Ford: $44.46 billion
5. IBM: $40.18 billion
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1985
1. Exxon: $90.85 billion
2. General Motors: $83.89 billion
3. Mobil: $56.05 billion
4. Ford: $52.37 billion
5. Texaco: $47.33 billion
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Source: Getty Images / Staff
1986
1. General Motors: $96.37 billion
2. Exxon: $86.67 billion
3. Mobil: $55.96 billion
4. Ford: $52.77 billion
5. IBM: $50.06 billion
Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images
1987
1. General Motors: $102.81 billion
2. Exxon: $69.89 billion
3. Ford: $62.72 billion
4. IBM: $51.25 billion
5. Mobil: $44.87 billion
Source: Getty Images / Staff
1988
1. General Motors: $101.78 billion
2. Exxon: $76.42 billion
3. Ford: $71.64 billion
4. IBM: $54.22 billion
5. Mobil: $51.22 billion
Source: Pascal Rondeau / Getty Images
1989
1. General Motors: $121.09 billion
2. Ford: $92.45 billion
3. Exxon: $79.56 billion
4. IBM: $59.68 billion
5. General Electric: $49.41 billion
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1990
1. General Motors: $126.97 billion
2. Ford: $96.93 billion
3. Exxon: $86.66 billion
4. IBM: $63.44 billion
5. General Electric: $55.26 billion
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1991
1. General Motors: $125.13 billion
2. Exxon: $105.89 billion
3. Ford: $98.28 billion
4. IBM: $69.02 billion
5. Mobil: $58.77 billion
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1992
1. General Motors: $123.78 billion
2. Exxon: $103.24 billion
3. Ford: $88.96 billion
4. IBM: $65.39 billion
5. General Electric: $60.24 billion
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1993
1. General Motors: $132.78 billion
2. Exxon: $103.55 billion
3. Ford: $100.79 billion
4. IBM: $65.10 billion
5. General Electric: $62.20 billion
Source: Phil Cole / Getty Images
1994
1. General Motors: $133.62 billion
2. Ford: $108.52 billion
3. Exxon: $97.83 billion
4. IBM: $62.72 billion
5. General Electric: $60.82 billion
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1995
1. General Motors: $154.95 billion
2. Ford: $128.44 billion
3. Exxon: $101.46 billion
4. Walmart: $83.41 billion
5. AT&T: $75.09 billion
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Source: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
1996
1. General Motors: $168.83 billion
2. Ford: $137.14 billion
3. Exxon: $110.01 billion
4. Walmart: $93.63 billion
5. AT&T: $79.61 billion
Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
1997
1. General Motors: $168.37 billion
2. Ford: $146.99 billion
3. Exxon: $119.43 billion
4. Walmart: $106.15 billion
5. General Electric: $79.18 billion
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1998
1. General Motors: $178.17 billion
2. Ford: $153.63 billion
3. Exxon: $122.38 billion
4. Walmart: $119.30 billion
5. General Electric: $90.84 billion
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Source: USAF / Getty Images
1999
1. General Motors: $161.32 billion
2. Ford: $144.42 billion
3. Walmart: $139.21 billion
4. ExxonMobil: $100.70 billion
5. General Electric: $100.47 billion
Source: NASA / Getty Images
2000
1. General Motors: $189.06 billion
2. Walmart: $166.81 billion
3. ExxonMobil: $163.88 billion
4. Ford: $162.56 billion
5. General Electric: $111.63 billion
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
2001
1. ExxonMobil: $210.39 billion
2. Walmart: $193.30 billion
3. General Motors: $184.63 billion
4. Ford: $180.60 billion
5. General Electric: $129.85 billion
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Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
2002
1. Walmart: $219.81 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $191.58 billion
3. General Motors: $177.26 billion
4. Ford: $162.41 billion
5. Enron: $138.72 billion
Source: Scott Barbour / Getty Images
2003
1. Walmart: $246.53 billion
2. General Motors: $186.76 billion
3. ExxonMobil: $182.47 billion
4. Ford: $163.63 billion
5. General Electric: $131.70 billion
Source: Chris Jackson / Getty Images
2004
1. Walmart: $258.68 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $213.20 billion
3. General Motors: $195.65 billion
4. Ford: $164.50 billion
5. General Electric: $134.19 billion
2005
1. Walmart: $288.19 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $270.77 billion
3. General Motors: $193.52 billion
4. Ford: $172.23 billion
5. General Electric: $152.36 billion
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Source: Wathiq Khuzaie / Getty Images
2006
1. ExxonMobil: $339.94 billion
2. Walmart: $315.65 billion
3. General Motors: $192.60 billion
4. Chevron: $189.48 billion
5. Ford: $177.21 billion
Source: David Paul Morris / Getty Images
2007
1. Walmart: $351.14 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $347.25 billion
3. General Motors: $207.35 billion
4. Chevron: $200.57 billion
5. ConocoPhillips: $172.45 billion
Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images
2008
1. Walmart: $378.80 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $372.82 billion
3. Chevron: $210.78 billion
4. General Motors: $182.35 billion
5. ConocoPhillips: $178.56 billion
Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images
2009
1. ExxonMobil: $442.85 billion
2. Walmart: $405.61 billion
3. Chevron: $263.16 billion
4. ConocoPhillips: $230.76 billion
5. General Electric: $183.21 billion
Source: Chris Graythen / Getty Images
2010
1. Walmart: $408.21 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $284.65 billion
3. Chevron: $163.53 billion
4. General Electric: $156.78 billion
5. Bank of America: $150.45 billion
Source: Majid Saeedi / Getty Images
2011
1. Walmart: $421.85 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $354.67 billion
3. Chevron: $196.34 billion
4. ConocoPhillips: $184.97 billion
5. Fannie Mae: $153.83 billion
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Source: Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
2012
1. ExxonMobil: $452.93 billion
2. Walmart: $446.95 billion
3. Chevron: $245.62 billion
4. ConocoPhillips: $237.27 billion
5. General Motors: $150.28 billion
Source: Michael Buckner / Getty Images
2013
1. Walmart: $469.16 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $449.89 billion
3. Chevron: $233.90 billion
4. Phillips 66: $169.55 billion
5. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: $162.46 billion
Source: Sean Gallup / Getty Images
2014
1. Walmart: $476.29 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $407.67 billion
3. Chevron: $220.36 billion
4. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: $182.15 billion
5. Apple, Inc.: $170.91 billion
Source: NASA / Getty Images
2015
1. Walmart: $485.65 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $382.60 billion
3. Chevron: $203.78 billion
4. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: $194.67 billion
5. Apple, Inc.: $182.80 billion
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Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images
2016
1. Walmart: $482.13 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $246.20 billion
3. Apple: $233.72 billion
4. Berkshire Hathaway: $210.82 billion
5. McKesson: $181.24 billion
Source: NASA / Getty Images
2017
1. Walmart: $485.87 billion
2. Berkshire Hathaway: $223.60 billion
3. Apple: $215.64 billion
4. ExxonMobil: $205.00 billion
5. McKesson: $192.49 billion
Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
2018
1. Walmart: $500.34 billion
2. ExxonMobil: $244.36 billion
3. Berkshire Hathaway: $242.14 billion
4. Apple: $229.24 billion
5. UnitedHealth Group: $201.16 billion
Source: Anthony Kwan / Getty Images
2019
1. Walmart: $500.41 billion
2. Amazon: $280.52 billion
3. ExxonMobil: $264.94 billion
4. Apple: $260.17 billion
5. Berkshire Hathaway: $254.62 billion
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Source: flyparade / Getty Images
2020
1. Walmart: $523.96 billion
2. Amazon: $386.06 billion
3. Apple: $274.52 billion
4. CVS Health: $268.71 billion
5. ExxonMobil: $178.57 billion
Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images
2021
1. Walmart: $559.15 billion
2. Amazon: $469.82 billion
3. Apple: $365.82 billion
4. CVS Health: $292.11 billion
5. UnitedHealth Group: $287.60 billion
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