California’s economy is thriving, so much so that its GDP outpaces that of all countries. It is the largest economy in the United States and the fifth-largest economy in the world.
A significant aspect of its financial success is its tech industry; the state is, after all, home to the famed Silicon Valley. But California also has other contributors to its economic success, such as The Walt Disney Company and massive agricultural and energy production.
When it comes to publicly traded companies, there’s no shortage of businesses headquartered in The Golden State and certainly no shortage of companies founded there. This article will explore 10 of the largest companies founded in California that are major players in the stock market today.
10. Cisco Systems Inc. ($190 Billion)
Founded in 1984, Cisco Systems has grown immensely and become a well-known name far beyond the United States. The company offers a wide range of products and services, including software, networking, and cybersecurity, that have established it as a tech leader earning many billions of dollars.
9. Wells Fargo & Company ($205 Billion)
Wells Fargo is a financial services company that provides services to individuals, businesses, and corporations. Since its founding in California in 1852, it has become a billion-dollar company with an international reach. Its international operations are only available to its corporate clients, with its presence spanning multiple continents, including Europe and Africa.
8. Chevron Corporation ($293 Billion)
The second-oldest company on this list is Chevron Corporation. Founded in 1879, it is a massive oil and gas company that produces energy, fuel, lubricants, and petrochemicals. Our society’s heavy reliance on these items in operations and daily life has allowed the corporation to become highly valuable.
7. Visa ($552 Billion)
The widely known and recognized credit card provider Visa is one of many companies headquartered and founded in California. It’s a company with a high market value that has been operating since 1958. Visa made its name by being the first credit card program in the US, and it very quickly moved its operations internationally, giving it the staying power and name recognition it has today.
6. Tesla Inc. ($572 Billion)
Tesla may be headquartered in Texas, but it was founded in California in 2003. Tesla is the brainchild of two engineers, Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, and was invested in by Elon Musk in its early days. The company produces electric cars and clean-energy products, such as solar panels. Today, Musk is the CEO of Tesla, and he and the company have become household names closely followed by media outlets and the public.
5. Broadcom Inc. ($741 Billion)
Though Broadcom outshines Tesla in its market value, its name doesn’t have the same level of recognition. Unlike Tesla, it doesn’t have an eccentric billionaire at its helm, but its work is integral to the operation of products and devices we use daily. Rather than knowing this massive corporation, most of us are likely much more familiar with its clients and the products and services they provide — like Apple products or AT&T and Bell communication services. The extensive reach and essential product offerings have helped shape this California company and its immense worth since its founding in the 1960s.
4. Meta Platforms Inc. ($1.27 Trillion)
What started as a single social network platform, known as Facebook, has grown into Meta Platforms, a massive social technology company with billions of users worldwide. After Facebook launched, Meta (as it’s more commonly known) had an astronomical rise in popularity and value, and the platform has remained an incredibly popular social media platform. Today, Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
3. Google/Alphabet Inc. ($2.22 Trillion)
As far as stories about startups go, few enjoy as much long-lasting success as Google. In 2015, the company restructured to better represent the different ventures the company is involved with. This change saw the adoption of the name Alphabet and the transition of Google to a subsidiary of this tech corporation. Even with this shift, the company has maintained incredible market value and continues to be a tech leader and one of California’s most prominent successes.
2. NVIDIA Corporation ($2.9 Trillion)
NVIDIA is the processing power behind nearly all types of computing systems you can think of, including AI systems. Companies like the noteworthy OpenAI use its products. The company was founded in 1993 and has since made itself essential to the operations of many technological programs and devices we rely on today, be it for work or entertainment.
1. Apple Inc. ($3.19 Trillion)
The household name Apple is one of the best-known California companies thanks to products such as the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. On June 30, 2023, Apple made headlines, and history, not for a new product release but rather for being the first publicly traded company to end the trading day with a market value of $3 trillion. This was an impressive feat but also an unsurprising one for this Silicon Valley success story. Despite its massive value, Apple isn’t the top publicly traded company; that honor belongs to Microsoft (founded in New Mexico), with a market value of $3.3 trillion.
Conclusion
From energy and finances to world tech leaders, California has brought many of the companies we rely on to the world and to high-ranking placements on the stock market. With its seemingly endless supply of startups, California’s stock market dominance is likely to remain strong. Everything from AI startups to iGaming companies that allow players to get a generous $100 cashback bonus in California are finding their footing in the state and climbing the ladder to success — some of which may one day become industry leaders appearing on a list like this.
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