Largest Companies in America (16-30)

Continued from Largest companies in America (1-15).

16. Valero Energy

Revenue: US$96.8 billion

Industry: Oil and Gas/Petroleum

Previous ranking: 16

Valero, which is based in Texas, is a private and independent oil refiner which owns more than 5,000 gas stations and 17 refineries across the United States, Canada and Caribbean. The company was born as a spin off of Coastal States Gas Corporation in 1980, which created history as the largest spin off in the US history at that time. The company employs more than 20,000 workforce, and records close to US100 billion in revenues, with more than US5 billion in profit.

17. Verizon Communications

Revenue: US$93.8 billion

Industry: Telecommunication

Previous ranking: 17

A major telco company, Verizon Communications provides broadband and other telecommunication solutions, which include wireline and wireless services to users across the United States and in other countries. Close to 70 million customers are subscribed with Verizon’s services at the moment. The company is backed by over 200,000 strong workforce, and generated profit of US5.5 billion in the last year’s financial closing.

18. McKesson

Revenue: US$93.6 billion

Industry: Health Care

Previous ranking: 18

McKesson is a health care and pharmaceutical retailer which markets millions worth of products on daily basis. The company has also its share in the marketing of medical supplies, ranging from surgical gloves, lasers and so on. The corporation takes name from the two of its founders, Charles Olcott and John McKesson who set up the company more than 150 years ago. McKesson also operates in the United Kingdom as a IT solution provider for the health care industry.

19. Cardinal Health

Revenue: US$88.4 billion

Industry: Health Care

Previous ranking: 19

Cardinal Health, a pharmaceutical product wholesaler and manufacturer of medical supplies, underwent a down sizing exercise last year with the sale of one of its divisions, which helped the company to reap more than US3 billion in profit. The company was born in 1971 as a food retailer and after a number of acquisitions the company ends up as the second largest medical supplier in the country, after McKesson.

20. Goldman Sachs Group

Revenue: US$88 billion

Industry: Investment/Banking

Previous ranking: 24

Goldman Sachs is a premier securities, investment banking and management firm, with its main operation based in Manhattan, New York city. The company also has offices in expensive cities including Singapore, Dubai, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Zurich, Tokyo, Melbourne and Toronto. The company acts as a financial advisor to a number of the world’s wealthiest families and largest corporations, with specialty in mergers and acquisition, advisory, underwriting, private equity investment and proprietary trading.

21. Morgan Stanley

Revenue: US$87.9 billion

Industry: Investment Banking/Financial

Previous ranking: 20

Headquartered in New York, Morgan Stanley is one of the well-known investment banking firms which serves a diverse range of clients including government, financial institutions, private corporations and individuals. The firm operates in more than 30 countries and employs over 45,000 employees worldwide to man its 600-odd number of offices. 3 main business divisions of the companies are Institutional Securities, Global Wealth Management Group and Investment Management.

22. Home Depot

Revenue: US$84.7 billion

Industry: Retail/Wholesale

Previous ranking: 17

Home Depot is the country’s largest retailer for construction and home improvement products, and is only second to Wal-Mart in the general retail market. The company is also a major retail player in Mexico, China Puerto Rico and Canada, employing more than 350,000 employees across its outlets and offices. The company was established in 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia, with its first store opened a year after the incorporation of the company.

23. Procter & Gamble (P&G)

Revenue: US$76.5 billion

Industry: FMCG/Retail

Previous ranking: 25

More popularly known as P&G, the Ohio-based Procter & Gamble is the largest manufacturer and distributor of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) products, with a host of famous brands under its belt such as Gillette, Crest, Pampers and Pringles. In 2007, the company was induced in the list of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies. It also holds the reputation as one of the biggest spenders in advertising and marketing activities and it came as a no surprise when it received the Advertiser of The Year Award for 2008 during Cannes International Advertising Festival.

24. CVS Caremark

Revenue: US$76.3 billion

Industry: Pharmaceutical/Health Care

Previous ranking: 51

CVS Caremark became one of the biggest jumpers in the top list after moving from its previous position of 51 to 24, thanks to the merger exercise in 2007 between CVS, a pharmacy retailer and Caremark, a benefit provider. One of the flagship services by the company is MinuteClinic which provides affordable health care in retail outlets, which has 500 branches and growing. Altogether, the company manages more than 1 billion prescriptions per year.

25. UnitedHealth Group

Revenue: US$75.4 billion

Industry: Health Care

Previous ranking: 21

A managed health care company, UnitedHealth Group grew mainly through mergers and acquisitions, just like many other giant corporations. It offers a wide range of services in the health care industry through seven different operating divisions. The history of the company began in 1974 when a group of doctors and physicians decided to create an entity which offered more health care options for the consumers in the US and improve quality of service delivery.

26. Kroger

Revenue: US$70.2 billion

Industry: Food/Drug

Previous ranking: 26

Founded by Benny Kroger in in the 19th century, the company is a premier retail supermarket player, and is also a close rival to Wal-Mart and The Home Depot. As part of the competitive strategy, the company continues to invest heavily in the private-label foods. Kroger operates more than 2,000 stores and outlets, either directly or through its subsidiaries. The company also became the first company to build a supermarket with parking lots across all 4 of its store sides.

27. Boeing

Revenue: US$66.4 billion

Industry: Aerospace/Defense

Previous ranking: 28

Boeing, a major company in aerospace and defense industry, moved up one ladder from 28 to 27. The company is also the biggest aircraft manufacturers in the world, with its planes leased by most of major commercial airlines. Boeing also successfully launched 3 space shuttles to the outer orbit in 2007. The company is set to record its highest profit with the launching of its new line of aircrafts, which is scheduled to happen anytime soon. Boeing operates from Chicago, Illinois.

28. AmerisourceBergen

Revenue: US$66.1 billion

Industry: Health Care

Previous ranking: 29

AmerisourceBergen provides health care services in the form of product distribution which includes generic pharmaceuticals, OTC (Over the Counter) prescriptions and home care supplies. Its client encompasses the retail pharmacies, hospitals (private and government), and other entities. The company also offers long term care, worker’s compensation and specialty drug services. Apart from the US, it has major operation in Canada, Puerto Rico and United Kingdom.

29. Costco Wholesale

Revenue: US$

Industry: Retail/Wholesale

Previous ranking: 32

Costco sells household goods and items at economy price, and the inconsistencies of the financial market gives advantage to the company as consumers turn to companies that offer reasonable prices. Headquartered in Washington, Costco is the fourth largest retailer after Wal-Mart, The Home Depot and Kroger. The company, which also has the warehouse club membership in the world, employs more than 130,000 employees who work on full time and part time basis.

30. Merrill Lynch

Revenue: US$64.2 billion

Industry: Finance/Securities

Previous ranking: 22

Merrill Lynch was founded in 1914 by Charles E. Merrill, and was later joined by Edmund C. Lynch and you can guess where the company’s name come from. The company offers a wide range of services that include investment banking, wealth management, advisory services, insurance and other financial related solutions. Based in New York city, and also has foreign offices in London, Tokyo, Singapore, Frankfurt, Dublin, Zurich and Mexico. The company lost its previous position of 22 and slumped to 30.

Ranking determined by: Revenue. Source: Fortune Global 500.

Other posts you may want to read:

1. Largest Companies in America (1-15)
2. Full List: 50 World’s Largest Companies 2008
3. Career in Primary Care
4. Arcadia is Britain’s Largest Private Retailer
5. 10 Largest Companies in Australia
6. AIG Employees Rescued by Bail Out
7. New York to Lose 40,000 Jobs
8. 10 World’s Largest Banks in 2008

Author's bio: Zul is the founder and principal contributor for the SKOR Career blog. He is the author of two books, The Malaysian Job Seeker's Dilemma and Buat Duit Tanpa Kerja Makan Gaji (How to Make Money Without a Job), available in major book stores nationwide. You can reach him at zulkiflimusa[at]gmail.com.

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