Careers Business Ownership The World's Biggest Retail Chains Ranking the Retailers By Revenue: Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Home Depot, Target Share PINTEREST Email Print Image by Theresa Chiechi © The Balance 2019 Business Ownership Industries Retail Small Business Restauranting Real Estate Nonprofit Organizations Landlords Import/Export Business Freelancing & Consulting Franchises Food & Beverage Event Planning eBay E-commerce Construction Operations & Success Becoming an Owner By Barbara Farfan Barbara Farfan University of Georgia Barbara Farfan is a retail industry expert with more than 20 years as a business consultant for the retail and publishing industries. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 06/25/19 The largest US retail companies on the 2016 World's Biggest Retail Chains List demonstrate the dominance of U.S. based retail chains both at home and abroad. For the first time in a decade, the first, second, and third largest retail companies in the world are all U.S. retail companies. Walmart, Costco, Kroger, are the World's Biggest Retail Chains in terms of annual revenue. That's according to the 2016 Global Powers of Retailing report, which is published each year by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and STORES Magazine. The most significant changes between the 2016 and 2015 Global Powers reports for the largest U.S. retail chains were: Kroger moved from sixth to third, giving the U.S. retail companies the top three rankings for the world's largest retail chains. Albertson's fell off the list altogether and Whole Foods rose two ranking positions from 72nd to 70th.Costco held its ranking behind Walmart, as the second largest retail company in the world. BJ's Wholesale Club also rose three ranking positions to 80th, a reflection of American's love of wholesale club shopping.Walgreens and Target switched places with the 10th and 11th rankings. Target moved down, Walgreens moved up. While Walgreens was on the rise, CVS Caremark and Rite Aid lost ground in the global retail revenue rankings, falling from second to 14th and from 37th to 38th, respectively. Amazon rose from 15th to #12th, and now there are only half dozen physical retail chains that generate more revenue than the Largest U.S. Internet Shopping Website.Home Depot held its ninth position while Lowe's gained two ranking positions, moving from 20th to 18th. Despite its struggle to regain retail relevance, Sears fell only two positions in the global retail rankings, a demonstration of how size alone can support survival... at least for a while. Best Retail Employer Publix continues to prove that Employee satisfaction can be profitable by moving from the 35th ranking to 32nd.TJX rose ranking positions, overtaking Macy's, a reflection of the U.S. trend towards value. Nordstrom, however, continues to buck the trend away from upscale department stores, rising six ranking positions from 80th to 74th. And although not in the "upscale" category, JC Penney also bucked the downward department store trend by rising three spots in the global rankings to 79th.Despite widening its lead as the U.S. retail chain with the most sales per square foot, Apple managed somehow to lose two ranking positions, falling from 46th to 48th.As Kohl's fell one ranking position, Dollar General rose two ranking positions and is now well-positioned to overtake the discount department store in the world retail revenue rankings.Bed Bath and Beyond and Ross Stores wins the prize for the biggest upward jump, each rising nine global ranking positions. And as far as Bed Bath and Beyond and Ross jumped up, the Staples office supply chain fell, losing nine positions down to 85th in the World's Largest Retailers Rankings.L Brands rose four positions from 93rd to 89th. As is true every year, the 2016 Global Powers list includes privately-held U.S. retail companies as well as U.S. government-run military retail organizations, which is something that makes it significantly different from the 2016 Fortune 500 list. Also, the 2016 Global Powers of Retailing report is based on 2014 revenue figures, so it lags behind and is a little less relevant to those interested in the U.S. retail industry than the annual Retail Fortune 500 rankings. What the annual Global Powers reports do provide, however, is a global ranking number which provides a comparative perspective on retailing trends worldwide. While the global ranking of the largest retail chains in the world usually remains relatively unchanged from year to year, and the 2016 World's Biggest US Based Retailers list was no exception.None of the most dramatic year-over-year changes for U.S. retailers on the 2016 Global Powers list will be surprising to anyone who closely followed the U.S. retail industry in the 2014 calendar year. But the value of the Global Powers list each year is in having an easy reference which reveals how changes in the U.S. retail industry compare to changes with retail industries in countries around the world. 2016 Top 100 Largest US Retail Companies on World's Largest List In 2016, there were 34 U.S. based retail companies on the Top 100 World's Largest Retailers list, according to the Global Powers of Retailing list published each year by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and STORES Magazine. That's a larger percentage of the world's largest retail chains that are based in the U.S. than are based in any other country. A jobs, investor information, and retail website research index for all the 2016 Largest US Retail chains is below. This list is arranged according to the ranking each of the biggest and best U.S. retail companies received on the 2016 Global Powers of Retailing report, which is based on retail sales revenue for FY 2014. The number in the left column is the global ranking number each retail company earned, compared to the Top 100 largest retail chains and companies worldwide. Use the links to find out more about the news, jobs, and retailing information for each of these Top 100 U.S. based retail companies. 2016 Top 100 Largest U.S. Based Retail Companies on World’s Largest Retailers List: 1. Wal-Mart Complete Wal-Mart Research Index Investors Information for Wal-Mart (WMT) Wal-Mart Jobs and Careers Wal-Mart Stores Retail Website 2. Costco Complete Research Index for Costco Investors Information for Costco (COST) Costco Jobs and Careers Costco Retail Website 3. The Kroger Company Investors Information for Kroger Kroger Jobs and Careers Kroger Stores Retail Website 9. Home Depot Complete Research Index for Home Depot Investors Information for Home Depot (HD) Home Depot Jobs and Careers Home Depot Retail Website 10. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. Investors Information for Walgreens (WAG) Walgreens Jobs and Careers Walgreens Retail Website 11. Target Complete Research Index for Target Investors Information for Target (TGT) Target Jobs and Careers Target Retail Website 12. Amazon.com Investors Information for Amazon.com (AMZN) Amazon Jobs and Careers 14. CVS Caremark Investors Information for CVS Caremark (CVS) CVS/Caremark Jobs and Careers CVS Pharmacy Retail Website 18. Lowe's Investors Information for Lowe's (LOW) Lowe's Jobs and Careers Lowe's Stores Retail Website 25. Best Buy Investors Information for Best Buy (BBY) Best Buy Jobs and Careers Best Buy Stores Retail Website 30. Safeway Investors Information for Safeway (SWY) Safeway Jobs and Careers Safeway Stores Retail Website 31. Sears Holdings Complete Sears Research Index Investors Information for Sears Holdings (SHLD) Sears Jobs and Careers Sears Stores Retail Shopping Website 32. Publix Investors Information for PublixPublix Jobs and CareersPublix Stores Retail Website 33. TJX Complete TJX Research Index Investors Information for TJX (TJX) TJX Jobs and Careers T.J. Maxx Stores Retail Website 35. Macy's Investors Information for Macy's (M) Macy's Jobs and Careers Macy's Stores Retail Website 38. Rite Aid Investors Information for Rite Aid (RAD) Rite Aid Jobs and Careers Rite Aid Stores Retail Website 46. H.E. Butt Grocery Company H-E-B Jobs and Careers H-E-B Stores Retail Website 48. Apple Retail Investors Information for Apple (AAPL) Apple Jobs and Careers Apple Retail Website 53. Kohl's Investors Information for Kohl's (KSS) Kohl's Jobs and Careers Kohl's Stores Retail Website 54. Dollar General Complete Dollar General Research Index Investors Information for Dollar General (DG) Dollar General Jobs and Careers Dollar General Stores Retail Website 62. The Gap Investors Information for Gap Inc. (GPS) The Gap Jobs and Careers The Gap Stores Retail Website 64. Meijer Meijer Jobs and Careers Meijer Stores Retail Website 70. Whole Foods Market Investors Information for Whole Foods Market (WFM) Whole Foods Jobs and Careers Whole Foods Retail Website 74. Nordstrom Investors Information for Nordstrom (JWN) Nordstrom Jobs and Careers Nordstrom Stores Retail Website 78. Toys 'R Us Investors Information for Toys 'R Us Toys 'R Us Jobs and Careers Toys ‘R Us Stores Retail Website 79. jcpenney Investors Information for jcpenney (JCP) jcpenney Jobs and Careers jcpenney Stores Retail Website 80. BJ's Wholesale Club Investors Information for BJ's Wholesale Club BJ's Wholesale Jobs and Careers BJ's Wholesale Club Retail Website 81. Bed Bath and Beyond Investors Information for Bed Bath and Beyond (BBBY) Bed Bath and Beyond Jobs and Careers Bed Bath and Beyond Stores Retail Website 85. Staples Investors Information for Staples (SPLS) Staples Jobs and Careers Staples Stores Retail Website 88. Southeastern Grocers (Bi-Lo Holdings) Jobs and Careers at Southeastern Grocers Retail Website for Bi-LO, Harvey's and Winn Dixie 89. L Brands (Limited Brands) Investors Information for Limited Brands (LTD) The Limited Jobs and Careers 91. Ross Stores Investors Information for Ross Stores (ROST) Ross Stores Jobs and Careers Ross Dress for Less Stores Retail Website 97. Liberty Interactive Corporation (QVC) Investors Information for Liberty Media (LMCA) QVC Jobs and Careers QVC Retail Website 98. Family Dollar Investors Information for Family Dollar (FDO) Family Dollar Jobs and Careers Family Dollar Stores Retail Website More 2016 World's Largest in Retailing: What Is the Largest Retail Store in the World? The World's Largest Shoe Store Where Is the World's Largest Convenience Store? What Is the World's Largest Bookstore? The Largest U.S. Convenience Store Chains