These Are the Ten Most Profitable Companies in California

California is home not only to the biggest companies in the U.S., but also to some of the biggest in the world. Most of these top companies in the state are tech based. The presence of so many companies makes California among the richest states in the U.S. Moreover, it tops the list when it comes to the states with the most billionaires. Most of the billionaires in the state belong to the corporate sector, and thus, it is important to know the top companies in the state. Detailed in the article are the ten most profitable companies in California.

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Ten Most Profitable Companies In California

We have used the latest available profit data to come up with the ten most profitable companies in California. Following are the ten most profitable companies in California:

10. Gilead Sciences ($5,386)

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, it is a biopharmaceutical firm popular for its hepatitis C cures Sovaldi and Harvoni. The company primarily focuses on developing a cure for liver diseases, oncology, human immunodeficiency virus, hematology, respiratory diseases and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Gilead Sciences is headed by Daniel P. O'Day and has over 13,000 employees.

9. Amgen ($7,842 million)

Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, it is among the biggest biotechnology companies in the world. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and markets human therapeutics. It specializes in drugs to treat high cholesterol, leukemia, and osteoporosis. Amgen owns many popular brands, including EPOGEN, NEUPOGEN, Sensipar, XGEVA, KYPROLIS and more. It is headed by Robert A. Bradway and has over 24,000 employees.

8. Walt Disney ($11,054 million)

Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Burbank, it is a diversified family entertainment and media enterprise. The company operates through the following segments – Media Networks, Parks, Experiences and Products, Studio Entertainment and DTCI (Direct-to-Consumer and International). Disney’s own streaming service (Disney+ launched in November 2019) was a big hit with consumers last year. Walt Disney is headed by Bob Chapek and has over 200,000 employees.

7. Cisco ($11,621 million)

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in San Jose, it designs and develops networking products and services connected to the communications and information technology industry. Cisco deals in Switches, Network Management Interfaces and Modules, Routers, Next-Generation Firewalls and more. It operates through the following geographical segments – Americas, EMEA, and APJC. Cisco is headed by Chuck Robbins and has over 77,000 employees.

6. Visa ($12,080 million)

Founded in 1958 and headquartered in San Francisco, it is among the biggest payment service providers. To facilitate payments, the company offers a debit card, credit card, commercial payment solutions, global ATM and other services. Along with Visa, the company also owns and manages the Interlink brand. Visa is headed by Alfred F. Kelly Jr. and has over 20,000 employees.

5. Facebook ($18,485 million)

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Menlo Park, it is the biggest social networking company in the world. The company develops social media applications to help people connect with friends and family. It owns some of the most popular platforms in the world, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Oculus. Facebook is headed by Mark Zuckerberg and has over 58,000 employees.

4. Wells Fargo ($19,549 million)

Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, it is the only bank to feature in this list. Basically, it is a financial services company that provides an array of services, including banking, mortgage, investments, insurance, and consumer and commercial finance. It operates through the following segments – Wealth & Investment Management, Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, and Other. Wells Fargo is headed by Charlie Scharf and has over 268,000 employees.

3. Intel ($21,048 million)

Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Santa Clara, the company specializes in designing, manufacturing and selling of computer products and technologies. It operates through four segments – CCG (Client Computing Group), DCG (Data Center Group), IOTG (Internet of Things Group), NSG (Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group), PSG (Programmable Solutions) and All Other. The company is headed by Robert (Bob) H. Swan and has over 110,000 employees.

2. Alphabet ($34,343 million)

Headquartered in Mountain View, this holding company engages in the business of acquisition and operation of different companies. Alphabet primarily operates through Google and Other Bets segments. Under Google, it has listed all its mainstream products, including Android, Chrome, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Play and more. The other segment includes Verily, Waymo, X, Access, Calico and others.

1. Apple ($55,256 million)

Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Cupertino, it is a multinational technology company. Apple develops and sells consumer electronics, computer software and online services. It is among the big four technology companies, with the other three being Amazon, Google and Facebook. Apple is also the most valuable company in the world, and one of the most loved brands. The company operates through the following geographical segments – Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan and the Rest of Asia Pacific.