The 2025 Fortune 500 List: Trends and Highlights
Key Highlights
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The 2025 Fortune 500 annual list saw a record high for revenue. Now, a company needs at least $7.4 billion just to get on the list.
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Big names like Walmart, Amazon, and UnitedHealth Group stayed at the top. They brought in huge dollars this year.
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This time, fourteen new companies joined, including Kenvue and GE Vernova. This shows a new generation of innovators is rising. Additionally, the Brainstorm Tech events continue to highlight these advancements in the industry.
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There are now fifty-five women CEOs on the Fortune 500 annual list. This is the most powerful women leading these top companies, marking the most women who have ever led these top companies.
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Mergers, rebranding, and some companies leaving the list were a big part of corporate performance for the year.
Now, let's look at how the 71st list from Fortune Magazine shows these trends.
Background
For more than 70 years, Fortune Magazine's annual list of the biggest companies in the United States has given people a clear look at the business world. The 2025 Fortune 500 companies list shows us not just the corporate performance of these business leaders for their respective fiscal years, but also how they connect with big changes in the economy, society, and technology. This year's list ranks companies by their income and highlights big moments. These include new ideas, big changes in industries, and shifts in leadership. As we go over the 71st annual list, we see the main trends that shape business in the United States right now.
The 2025 Fortune 500 List: Key Trends and Highlights
The 2025 Fortune 500 list marks its 71st edition. This list shows which companies are leading in the U.S. It acts like a picture and a guide for business today. The ranking is based on total revenue. The way they rank the companies is strict and clear. The list also picks up on things like spending on new technology, more leadership diversity, and quick changes in how companies do their work.
It also shows how companies like Apple and Alphabet change as what people want changes. GE Vernova’s spot on the list shows how important clean energy has become. Now, let’s look into some of the key players and the main trends guiding this year’s list.
Where can I download an Excel spreadsheet of the 2025 Fortune 500 List?
databahn have compiled the 2025 Fortune 500 list into an Excel spreadsheet list. You can download it here.
1. Record-Breaking Revenue Thresholds and Top Performers
The 2025 Fortune 500 set new financial records. All the companies on the list together made $19.9 trillion in revenue. This is about 66% of the United States gross domestic product. Walmart got the top spot again for the 13th year in a row. Amazon and UnitedHealth Group were close behind. This shows that the retail, e-commerce, and healthcare fields are the strongest right now.
2. New Entrants Shaping the Fortune 500 in 2025
The 2025 Fortune 500 added 14 fresh companies that show how fast the top businesses and their industries are changing in the US.
Key examples include:
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Kenvue (#281): Spun off from Johnson & Johnson, Kenvue is focused on healthcare and personal goods. The company’s strong growth helped it enter the list.
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GE Vernova (#130): GE Vernova stands for new clean energy work. It now joins GE Healthcare and GE Aerospace from the same parent company on the Fortune 500.
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NVIDIA: NVIDIA got a big boost from the rise of AI. The company's GPUs led to more data-center profits and pushed what is possible in tech.
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Palo Alto Networks: Ranked at #470, Palo Alto Networks shows how cybersecurity is more important now. The company’s improved results reflect the need for digital safety.
These new names use smart ideas to shake up their respective industries, including tech and healthcare. Their growth is changing the way the Fortune 500 looks moving forward. Now, let’s talk about the old brands that dropped off the list.
3. Notable Companies Dropping Off the List
While people welcome new milestones, some companies did not make it to this year's Fortune 500 list. Many leave this list because of changes in the economy or shifts in what the company wants to do. For example:
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Albemarle Corp.: This company was once a top lithium producer, but lower lithium prices made it hard for them to have good profits.
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Genworth Financial: This group had a hard time because of changes in the market that led to smaller earnings.
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General Electric (healthcare divisions): After splitting up big parts of the company, General Electric was restructured into groups like GE Vernova.
When companies leave the list, there is often more scrutiny on their money problems. Many have to make quick and agile moves to survive. After a very good time for some, these choices show how hard leaders have to work now, to keep their reserves up while trying to stay strong.
Now, with those exits, leadership changes have become the way to set new goals and standards.
4. Leadership Changes Among Major Corporations
The 2025 Fortune 500 shows big changes in leadership. Top CEOs, like Andrew Witty who leads United Health Care, have made important progress. They focus on main results and try strong new things to reach real goals. This has helped mix up top ceo groups and balance out men and women in these roles.
The list shows how this move is spreading. It brings a lot of talk and excitement, especially in health care. The changes inside also help the company change direction the right way and help both workers and leaders grow.
5. Corporate Rebranding and Strategic Shifts
Today, as times change, many companies are rebranding and making plans to stay ahead of others in the market. They do this because they need to keep up with changing trends and what people like. This move shows the agility that every business needs to do well. In different case studies, well-known brands are changing their stories and are now working with a new group of innovators. Companies use insights from rigorous benchmarks to see what works best and to make smart choices.
Take Berkshire Hathaway and CVS Health for example. Both are using what they learn to make their brands look better to the public. They want to stand out more in their respective industries. By doing so, they are able to keep their names solid on well-known lists like the Fortune 500. This shows how important it is to stay smart and quick in business, use agility when needed, and always keep an eye on what is changing around you.
Summary
A close look at the 2025 Fortune 500 List shows us how things are changing for big companies in the United States. Companies like Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon, and CVS Health have shown great agility as they handle shifts in the market. It is clear they have the skill to change their plans in tough times. When we think about a new generation of innovators, we see that the information from these iconic rankings will help with future corporate performance. Learning from these lists can help us understand how business in the United States keeps changing and growing. Watching these rankings will give people new ways to think about the business world.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What criteria determine a company's placement on the 2025 Fortune 500?
A company's spot on the 2025 Fortune 500 list comes from its total revenue, financial performance, and market share, including both public and private companies that file with a government agency. The people who make the list look at how much money companies make in the fiscal year. This shows how the company competes and what impact it has in their respective industries.
2. How are tariffs expected to impact Fortune 500 companies this year?
Tariffs are expected to make costs go up for Fortune 500 companies. This can also cause problems with how they get their supplies. To deal with these issues, companies might have to change how they set prices. They may also look for new places to do business. This can impact how well they compete and how much money they make around the world.
3. What role is artificial intelligence playing in reshaping the Fortune 500?
Artificial intelligence is changing the way the Fortune 500 does business. Many companies use the technology to help them make better choices. They also use it to improve the way they work and to come up with new ideas. With AI, they can look at data to guess what might happen next, understand what customers want, and let machines do some tasks for them. This leads to faster work and helps them stand out in a market that is always changing.
4. How has female CEO representation changed in the 2025 Fortune 500?
In June 2025, there was a rise in the number of female CEOs in the Fortune 500. More women started leading big companies. This change shows people want more diversity and inclusion at the top. It highlights how important it is to have a mix of leaders in the most powerful businesses.
5. Where can I download an Excel spreadsheet of the 2025 Fortune 500 List?
databahn have compiled the 2025 Fortune 500 list into an Excel spreadsheet list. You can download it here.
What companies are expected to make the 2025 Fortune 500 list?
While predicting the 2025 Fortune 500 list is speculative, companies like Tesla, Amazon, and Apple are likely to feature prominently due to their continuous growth and innovation. Additionally, emerging tech firms and sustainable energy companies may rise in rankings as market demands shift toward sustainability and digital solutions.
Source Links:
https://fortune.com/fortune500/2022/search/
https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500_archive/full/1955/
https://www.bankrate.com/investing/what-are-fortune-500-companies/
https://www.fortunechina.com/fortune500/c/2023-07/25/content_436290.htm
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/map-the-number-of-fortune-500-companies-in-each-u-s-state/
