:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/shutterstock_67023106-5bfc2b9846e0fb005144dd87.jpg "10 Biggest Entertainment Companies")
The entertainment industry includes a broad range of companies providing telecommunications services, streaming, television, music, video games, and live concerts. These are the 10 biggest entertainment companies as measured by trailing 12-month (TTM) revenue. This list is limited to companies that are publicly traded in the U.S., either directly or through American depositary receipts (ADRs). All revenue figures are current as of the end of the first quarter of 2024, according to Companies Market Cap.
Comcast is a global media and technology conglomerate founded as a cable company in the 1960s. In the decades since, Comcast has grown through acquisitions such as NBCUniversal, and movie producer DreamWorks Animation. The company offers broadband, cable and network television, streaming internet, phone, and other related products, as well as television and film production through its many platforms such as Xfinity and Sky.
Most people think of Mickey Mouse when they hear the name Walt Disney, which wouldn’t be far from the truth. The company has its roots in animation, starting as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923, with the iconic mouse introduced five years later. Disney’s entertainment division owns some of the world’s most famous names, including Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, ABC, Disney+, and Hulu.
Sony is a multinational corporation based in Tokyo. It develops, designs, manufactures, and sells electronics, including televisions, game consoles, and entertainment systems, as well as software. Sony also has a presence in film, music, and gaming production, as well as financial and professional services. According to the company, consumers use more than 900 million of its devices around the world.
Warner Bros. Discovery is a global media and entertainment company, offering brands and franchises across television, film, streaming, and gaming. The company combines WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports, and news assets with Discovery’s leading non-fiction and international entertainment and sports businesses.
A global leader in streaming services, Netflix offers a variety of TV and movie entertainment services through a subscription-based model in 30 languages in 190 countries. The company launched the production of original movie programming, Netflix Originals, in 2015.
Make sure you do your due diligence by doing research or speaking with a financial professional before you make changes to your investment portfolio.
Paramount delivers premium content to audiences across platforms worldwide through streaming, U.S. networks, and global content distribution. The company’s brands, which include CBS, Showtime, and BET, reach 4.3 billion subscribers across more than 180 countries.
Live Nation Entertainment works with performing artists to bring their creativity to life on stages around the world. According to the company’s website, it is the world’s largest live entertainment producer, putting on 40,000 shows and more than 100 festivals in over 45 countries. Live Nation sells 550 million tickets per year.
MGM Resorts is a global entertainment and gaming company. Its stock is one of the constituents of the S&P 500. The company has different properties in the U.S. and around the world, including casinos, hotels, and resorts. MGM says that its presence in Las Vegas is at the core of its financial success. Some of the major names under the company’s umbrella include the Bellagio, MGM Grand Las Vegas, and Luxor Hotel and Casino.
If you’re a music lover, then you probably already know about Spotify. The company, which is legally based in Luxembourg and has its operational headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, is an audio streaming platform that launched in 2008. Spotify’s more than 615 users have access to 100 million tracks, six million podcasts, and 350,000 audiobooks.
As a leading internet technology company based in China, NetEase provides premium online services centered around content creation. The company, which was founded in 1997 develops and operates some of China’s most popular and longest-running mobile and PC games including Knives Out, LIFEAFTER, and the Lord of the Rings series.
There are several ways you can invest in the world’s largest entertainment companies, such as Walt Disney, Netflix, and Live Nation. Adding these companies can diversify your portfolio and help you mitigate your risk of loss. If you’re interested in investing in them, consider purchasing stock directly in entertainment companies through a brokerage firm or online account. This includes American depositary receipts. You can also purchase shares of mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that have these companies in their portfolios.
An American depositary receipt is a certificate that represents a number of shares of a foreign company. ADRs trade on American stock exchanges just like American public companies. They allow investors to buy and sell shares in companies in which they would otherwise have no access while allowing foreign companies to raise capital.
There are many investment opportunities that exist beyond your borders. Investing internationally can help you diversify your portfolio and spread out the risk. But regulations can make it difficult to take advantage of these options. So how do you do it? Consider investing in mutual funds and ETFs that have international companies in their portfolios. You can also purchase American depositary receipts of foreign companies. These certificates, which represent a specific number of shares, trade on American stock exchanges just like the stock of an American company.
Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, and Sony top the list of the world’s largest entertainment companies by revenue. And it’s no surprise why, since they are all household names. Their portfolios are well-diversified. All of these companies trade on stocks exchanges in some way or another, which makes them easy to add to your portfolio. But, before you do, make sure you do your research and ensure that they fit your investment strategy and goals.
