US companies with the highest return on equity
Return on equity is net income against average shareholders' equity. Very high figures can come from a thin equity base after buybacks, so read them with the balance sheet. Tapestry, Inc. leads with 197.1% in fiscal 2026. The top 100 of 1,618 companies with a figure on file.
Would buying this list have paid?
Buying the top 100 companies by return on equity, as the list stood each quarter since March 31, 2010, would have returned +14.4% a year against +14.0% for the S&P 500. It beat the index, but mostly by moving more than the market (beta 1.14); after allowing for that, the extra return could be chance.
| Return a year | Typical yearly swing | Sharpe ratio | Biggest drop | Moves with market (beta) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 by return on equity | +14.4% | 18.2% | 0.76 | -29.1% | 1.14 |
| S&P 500, buy and hold | +14.0% | 15.1% | 0.87 | -23.9% | 1.00 |
- Ahead of the S&P 500 in 48.5% of 66 quarters.
- Extra return after allowing for market risk (alpha): −1.0% a year No reliable evidence t = -0.59
- Against the S&P 500: +4.3% a year in 2010–2017, −3.4% in 2018–2026.
More rankings
- Largest US companies by revenue
- Most profitable US companies
- US companies with the most free cash flow
- Fastest-growing large US companies
- US companies with the highest profit margins
- Biggest share buybacks by US companies
- Biggest dividend payers in the US
- US companies raising their dividend every year
- Largest US employers
- US companies with the most cash
- US companies with the most debt
- Biggest R&D spenders in the US
- Companies by sector and industry