Alphabet Tops Saudi Aramco as World's Most Profitable Company
The Fortune Global 500 list for 2026 was released on July 28, marking a significant shift in global corporate power. Amazon took the top spot with revenue exceeding $700 billion, ending Walmart's 12-year reign at the top.
However, the more notable change was Alphabet dethroning Saudi Aramco as the world's most profitable company, posting a net profit of $132.17 billion. This marks the end of Saudi Aramco's four-year run in this position and highlights the tech sector's growing dominance.
The energy sector saw a broad decline in rankings, with traditional energy giants experiencing significant drops. Only four energy companies made it to the top 20 by revenue, and all saw their rankings slip from the previous year. Saudi Aramco ranked fifth, down one spot, while China's three major state-owned oil giants saw significant declines.
The tech sector, on the other hand, emerged as the fastest-growing segment. A total of 38 tech companies made the list, with revenue surging over 20% to approximately $4 trillion and profit jumping 36% to $835 billion. Alphabet's net profit represented roughly 32% year-over-year growth, making it the second-highest single-company profit figure in Fortune Global 500 history.