Energy
Ranked: Top U.S. Companies, by Profit per Employee
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Ranked: Top U.S. Companies, by Profit per Employee
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Which companies and industries rake in the most profit per employee?
In this graphic, we use data from AgencyReviews.io to rank the top 25 U.S. companies by the profit they generate per employee. The figures come from a December 2023 report.
Why is Profit per Employee Important?
Profit per employee is calculated by dividing a company’s yearly profit by its full-time staff.
Consequently, high profit per employee usually signals financial success, efficient human resource management, and an industry that creates a high amount of leverage per team member.
Energy companies dominate our ranking, suggesting they have relatively small workforces for the amount of money they earn.
| Rank | Company | Industry | Profit per employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ConocoPhillips | Energy | $1,970,000 |
| 2 | Fannie Mae | Financials | $1,510,000 |
| 3 | Freddie Mac | Financials | $1,190,000 |
| 4 | Valero | Energy | $1,180,000 |
| 5 | Occidental Petroleum | Energy | $1,110,000 |
| 6 | Cheniere Energy | Energy | $921,000 |
| 7 | ExxonMobil | Energy | $899,000 |
| 8 | Phillips 66 | Energy | $848,000 |
| 9 | Marathon Petroleum | Energy | $815,000 |
| 10 | Chevron | Energy | $809,000 |
| 11 | PBF Energy | Energy | $798,000 |
| 12 | Enterprise Products | Energy | $752,000 |
| 13 | Apple | Tech | $609,000 |
| 14 | Broadcom | Tech | $575,000 |
| 15 | HF Sinclair | Energy | $560,000 |
| 16 | D. R. Horton | Construction | $433,000 |
| 17 | AIG | Financials | $392,000 |
| 18 | Lennar | Construction | $384,000 |
| 19 | Energy Transfer | Energy | $379,000 |
| 20 | Pfizer | Healthcare | $378,000 |
| 21 | Netflix | Tech | $351,000 |
| 22 | Microsoft | Tech | $329,000 |
| 23 | Alphabet | Tech | $315,000 |
| 24 | Meta | Tech | $268,000 |
| 25 | Qualcomm | Tech | $254,000 |
The list includes 12 energy companies (48%), seven tech companies (28%), three finance companies (12%), two construction companies (8%), and one healthcare company (4%).
At the top of the list is ConocoPhillips, one of the world’s largest public energy companies, with operations in over a dozen countries. The company generated almost $2 million in profit per employee with its 9,800 workers.
In second and third places are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises that buy and guarantee mortgages to promote liquidity in the housing market.
Surprisingly, ConocoPhillips generated more than three times the profit per employee compared to the first tech company on the list, Apple (13th).
Traditionally a significant employer, the construction industry is represented by D.R. Horton and Lennar, the two largest homebuilders by volume in the United States.
A Steep Drop From the Top
In total, the top 25 U.S. companies generated a profit of $536.7 billion, with an average profit per employee standing at $490,660.
That said, the top 10 within this cohort boasted an average profit per employee of $1.13 million, while the bottom 10 companies sit at an average of $348,300.
Of course, companies not making the ranking would have even more modest numbers. For example, it’s estimated that Starbucks makes around $80,000 per employee, and Coca-Cola makes around $100,000 per employee.
Energy
Charted: 4 Reasons Why Lithium Could Be the Next Gold Rush
Visual Capitalist has partnered with EnergyX to show why drops in prices and growing demand may make now the right time to invest in lithium.
4 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Lithium
Lithium’s importance in powering EVs makes it a linchpin of the clean energy transition and one of the world’s most precious minerals.
In this graphic, Visual Capitalist partnered with EnergyX to explore why now may be the time to invest in lithium.
1. Lithium Prices Have Dropped
One of the most critical aspects of evaluating an investment is ensuring that the asset’s value is higher than its price would indicate. Lithium is integral to powering EVs, and, prices have fallen fast over the last year:
| Date | LiOH·H₂O* | Li₂CO₃** |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2023 | $76 | $71 |
| March 2023 | $71 | $61 |
| Apr 2023 | $43 | $33 |
| May 2023 | $43 | $33 |
| June 2023 | $47 | $45 |
| July 2023 | $44 | $40 |
| Aug 2023 | $35 | $35 |
| Sept 2023 | $28 | $27 |
| Oct 2023 | $24 | $23 |
| Nov 2023 | $21 | $21 |
| Dec 2023 | $17 | $16 |
| Jan 2024 | $14 | $15 |
| Feb 2024 | $13 | $14 |
Note: Monthly spot prices were taken as close to the 14th of each month as possible.
*Lithium hydroxide monohydrate MB-LI-0033
**Lithium carbonate MB-LI-0029
2. Lithium-Ion Battery Prices Are Also Falling
The drop in lithium prices is just one reason to invest in the metal. Increasing economies of scale, coupled with low commodity prices, have caused the cost of lithium-ion batteries to drop significantly as well.
In fact, BNEF reports that between 2013 and 2023, the price of a Li-ion battery dropped by 82%.
| Year | Price per KWh |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $139 |
| 2022 | $161 |
| 2021 | $150 |
| 2020 | $160 |
| 2019 | $183 |
| 2018 | $211 |
| 2017 | $258 |
| 2016 | $345 |
| 2015 | $448 |
| 2014 | $692 |
| 2013 | $780 |
3. EV Adoption is Sustainable
One of the best reasons to invest in lithium is that EVs, one of the main drivers behind the demand for lithium, have reached a price point similar to that of traditional vehicle.
According to the Kelly Blue Book, Tesla’s average transaction price dropped by 25% between 2022 and 2023, bringing it in line with many other major manufacturers and showing that EVs are a realistic transport option from a consumer price perspective.
| Manufacturer | September 2022 | September 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| BMW | $69,000 | $72,000 |
| Ford | $54,000 | $56,000 |
| Volkswagon | $54,000 | $56,000 |
| General Motors | $52,000 | $53,000 |
| Tesla | $68,000 | $51,000 |
4. Electricity Demand in Transport is Growing
As EVs become an accessible transport option, there’s an investment opportunity in lithium. But possibly the best reason to invest in lithium is that the IEA reports global demand for the electricity in transport could grow dramatically by 2030:
| Transport Type | 2022 | 2025 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buses 🚌 | 23,000 GWh | 50,000 GWh | 130,000 GWh |
| Cars 🚙 | 65,000 GWh | 200,000 GWh | 570,000 GWh |
| Trucks 🛻 | 4,000 GWh | 15,000 GWh | 94,000 GWh |
| Vans 🚐 | 6,000 GWh | 16,000 GWh | 72,000 GWh |
The Lithium Investment Opportunity
Lithium presents a potentially classic investment opportunity. Lithium and battery prices have dropped significantly, and recently, EVs have reached a price point similar to other vehicles. By 2030, the demand for clean energy, especially in transport, will grow dramatically.
With prices dropping and demand skyrocketing, now is the time to invest in lithium.
EnergyX is poised to exploit lithium demand with cutting-edge lithium extraction technology capable of extracting 300% more lithium than current processes.
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