Market Cap: $30.5 Billion

Industry: Pharmaceuticals

Founded: 1833

Chief Executive Officer: John H. Hammergren

Employees: 68,000

Sales: $196.5 Billion

Headquarters: San Francisco, California

Summary: McKesson Corporation is an American pharmaceutical distribution company. They provide health information technology, medical supplies, and care management tools. The corporation operates through McKesson Distribution Solutions and McKesson Technology Solutions segments. The distribution branch provides ethical and proprietary drugs, medical-surgical supplies and equipment, and health/beauty care products throughout North America. They also provide pharmaceutical solutions for biotech and pharmaceutical manufactures. The Technology Solutions segment provides software, automation, business services, and consulting to hospitals, physician offices, and imaging centers.

Why you should care: Despite being a relatively small company, McKesson ranks #10 in global sales and #5 in American sales. McKesson stock was recently (February 2018) declared the best stock to beat healthcare headwinds. The company’s size, dominating control, and ability to be a low-cost producer in a slim-margin industry allow it to endure hardships faced by other healthcare companies. McKesson Corporation is California’s second-richest company with nearly $200 billion in annual revenues.

Market Cap: $752 Billion

Industry: Computer Hardware

Founded: 1976

Chief Executive Officer: Tim Cook

Employees: 116,000

Sales: $217.48 Billion

Headquarters: Cupertino, California

Summary: Apple designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication, media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players. They help employees to work more productively and simply, aiding in creative problem solving, communication, and collaboration. Apple is the ninth largest company in the world and ranks seventh in global sales. It holds the number one spot in market value.

Why should you care: Apple is one of the most renowned technology innovators in the world, pioneering devices such as the laptop and the smartphone. Though it has yet to jump into the world of intelligent personal assistants (aside from the iPhone’s “Siri”), the company is doing extensive research on artificial intelligence. The next several years will see massive changes to the world of technology, and we foresee Apple at the vanguard.

Market Cap: $507.5 Billion

Industry: Software and Programming

Founded: 1975

Chief Executive Officer: Satya Nadella

Employees: 114,000

Sales: $85.27 Billion

Headquarters: Redmond, Washington

Summary: Microsoft corporation engages in the provision of developing and marketing software and hardware services. Its products and services include computing device operating systems, services, phones, and intelligent devices. The company also produces services that aid in productivity, business solutions, desktop and server management, software development, video games, and online advertising. It holds the third ranking for the world’s most valuable brand, and it is the sixth most profitable of America’s top public companies.

Why you should care: In the past decade, Microsoft seems to have lagged behind other software and hardware producers (namely: Apple) in innovation and production. However, they are pioneering big data solutions—a new way to house data when the volume exceeds the capacity or cost limitations for relational database systems. A move to big data, though expected, will dramatically change how we interact with and store data in both personal and corporate worlds.

Market Cap: $221.1 Billion

Industry: Discount Stores

Founded: 1962

Chief Executive Officer: C. Douglas McMillon

Employees: 2,300,000

Sales: $485.25 Billion

Headquarters: Bentonville, Arkansas

Summary: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. engages in retail and wholesale business and operates through Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam’s Club. They provide services similar to supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, home improvement stores, specialty electronics centers, apparel stores, drug stores, and convenience stores. They also offer specialty services, auto buying, optical services, hearing aid centers, tire and battery centers, and business operations support services.

Why you should care: Wal-Mart has pioneered the modern discount store, but—most recently—has fallen behind competitors like Amazon. In an effort to keep pace, Wal-Mart is beginning to research and produce specialty foods. Among their experiments is the “fruit punch pickle.” We will not be surprised to see Wal-Mart grow significantly over the next few years as it continues to innovate.

Market Cap: $579.5 Billion

Industry: Computer Services

Founded: 2015

Chief Executive Officer: Lawrence E. Page

Employees: 72,053

Sales: $89.92 Billion

Headquarters: Mountain View, California

Summary: Alphabet Inc. is a holding company; it engages in the business of acquisition and operation of different companies. It operates through the Google and Other Bets segments—the Google segment includes Internet products (search, ads, commerce, maps, apps, cloud, &c), and the Other Bets segment includes businesses such as Access, Google Fiber, Calico, Nest, Verily, and other Google initiatives. A relatively new company, Alphabet Inc. was created through a corporate restructuring of Google.

Why you should care: In 2017, Alphabet invested heavily in Cuemath, Lyft, and United Masters. They also acquired smartphone technology startup Redux, which specializes in turning smartphone screens into speakers. Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman, said that there may eventually be more than 26 Alphabet subsidiaries. He is currently meeting with CEOs of current and proposed Alphabet subsidiaries, foreshadowing massive growth in the coming years.

Market Cap: $409.9 Billion

Industry: Investment Service

Founded: 1839

Chief Executive Officer: Warren Edward Buffet

Employees: 367,700

Sales: $222.94 Billion

Headquarters: Omaha, Nebraska

Summary: Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. engages in the provision of property and casualty insurance, utilities, energy, freight rail transportation, finance, manufacturing, retailing, and services—their diverse assets comprise the most valuable corporation/company in the United States and the third largest in the World. They ranked sixth in global sales and seventh in profit, ranking second in American sales and third in American profit.

Why you should care: Believe it or not, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is still growing. They have their hands in several dozen services—from retail and rail services to insurance and financial consulting. It also has a substantial investment portfolio, owning large stakes in companies like Mars, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, and Kraft Heinz. It is also one of the largest insurance companies in the world.