Three retailers among top 10 most valuable U.S. brands
Apple is back on top.
Apple regained its position as the most valuable U.S. brand in Brand Finance’s US 500 2024, the brand valuation consultancy’s annual report on the most valuable and strongest American brands The tech giant’s brand value came in at $516.6 billion, up 74% over last year. (Apple also ranked as the most valuable brand in the world.)
Apple is one of the world’s most recognized brands, with a brand awareness averaging 96% across the 17 countries researched by Brand Finance. In the U.S., Apple’s home market and largest revenue source, the brand ranks highest among tech brands in perceptions of product quality. According to Brand Finance research, more than 50% of respondents recognize Apple as expensive, but worth the price, reinforcing the brand’s ability to demand a premium price.
“Apple’s growth is approximately equal to the total value of Starbucks, Walmart, Tesla, and Porsche’s brands combined, marking an unprecedented milestone in Brand Finance’s extensive history of valuing the country’s most valuable and strongest brands,” the company stated.
Three retailers made the top 10. Amazon came in fourth, with a brand value at $308.9 billion, followed by Walmart, with a brand value of $96.8 billion. Starbucks came in ninth, with a value of $60.7 billion. (Top 20 brands listed at end of article.)
“A strong brand is vital for differentiation, helping companies stand out in competitive markets,” stated Laurence Newell, managing director, North America, Brand Finance. “This fosters customer loyalty and drives sales and revenue growth. Premium brands can command higher prices, as consumers gravitate towards quality and trustworthiness, boosting profitability. A strong brand attracts top talent and provides a competitive edge, aiding companies in navigating economic challenges and industry disruptions.”
Some insights from the report are below.
•The retail sector is once again the second most valuable sector in the ranking, with the 38 brands featured making up 14% of the total brand value in the ranking.
•Tech remains the most valuable sector in the Brand Finance US 500 2024 ranking, with the 58 featured brands accounting for nearly a quarter of the ranking's brand value, totaling $1.31 trillion. The sector's high overall brand value can mainly be attributed to the two major tech players that remain at the top of the ranking in 2024: Apple and Microsoft.
•Nvidia is America’s fastest-growing brand. The AI computing giant’s brand value skyrocketed 163%.
•YouTube is the country’s strongest brand, with a Brand Strength Index score of 92.7 out of 100.
The top 20 most valuable U.S. brands are listed here.
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Verizon
- Starbucks
- Tesla
- Oracle
- Home Depot
- AT&T
- Costco
- United HealthCare
- Disney
- Nvidia
- Deloitte
- Accenture
- McDonald’s
Brand Finance determines brand strength through extensive market research on 6,000 brands, surveying 150,000+ people in 41 countries and 31 sectors. This is combined with a financial analysis to determine each brand's value.
The full ranking, additional insights, the methodology, and definitions of key terms are available in the Brand Finance US 500 2024 Report.