Which company holds the world's all-time record of profits for an industrial company?

Which company holds the world's all-time record of profits for an industrial company?

• A. ExxonMobil
• B. Chevron
• C. Shell
• D. BP

Answer: (A)

Profits in this context mean the net income a company reports in a single year. ExxonMobil holds the all-time high for an industrial company because its massive, integrated oil-and-gas model produced very large profits during periods of high crude prices and strong refining margins—most notably around 2008. That combination of vast upstream production, extensive downstream refining, and chemicals businesses allowed ExxonMobil to generate a higher single-year net income than other large oil majors. While Chevron, Shell, and BP have also posted substantial profits, none surpassed ExxonMobil’s peak in that record year.

Profits in this context mean the net income a company reports in a single year. ExxonMobil holds the all-time high for an industrial company because its massive, integrated oil-and-gas model produced very large profits during periods of high crude prices and strong refining margins—most notably around 2008. That combination of vast upstream production, extensive downstream refining, and chemicals businesses allowed ExxonMobil to generate a higher single-year net income than other large oil majors. While Chevron, Shell, and BP have also posted substantial profits, none surpassed ExxonMobil’s peak in that record year.