Australia’s corporate landscape continues to be shaped by dominance in sectors such as resources and mining, financial services, retail, energy, and diversified industrials. The largest businesses in Australia, whether by revenue, market capitalization, or profitability, exert deep influence not only domestically but in regional and global markets. This article profiles the top 10 biggest businesses in Australia today, giving readers of tradeprofession.com insight into the companies that shape economic trends, investment flows, innovation, and policy debates across sectors such as banking, mining, energy, technology, and global trade.

Each profile emphasizes the company’s scale, strategic direction, strengths, challenges, and its position in 2025. Where relevant, links to internal content on tradeprofession.com are embedded to relate these corporate leaders back to themes your audience cares about — such as investment, technology, global, sustainable, economy, and business.

Key Criteria for Ranking

Determining the “biggest” companies is not purely a mathematical exercise: it involves judgment about which metric to emphasize — revenue, market cap, profit, total assets, or influence. For this article, the companies are selected based primarily on revenue and financial scale as published in public corporate disclosures and market data, supplemented by their prominence in the Australian economy, as of mid-2025.

Because many major Australian companies are listed and their financials are publicly tracked, this list leans toward those with available data; some large private firms may not appear despite their importance.

As readers explore, they may connect these company stories to fields like technology, innovation, investment, and global markets — all core areas for tradeprofession.com’s audience.

1. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

Scale and Financial Strength

As Australia’s largest bank by market capitalization and among its most profitable enterprises, Commonwealth Bank of Australia has posted record financial results in the 2025 fiscal year. Its cash profit surged to AUD 10.25 billion — a 4% year-on-year increase — reflecting the strength of its core lending businesses. In its 2025 results, CBA declared a final dividend of AUD 2.60 per share, bringing the total annual payout to AUD 4.85 — the highest in its history. This performance underscores the bank’s dominance in Australian financial services, particularly in retail and business lending, wealth management, insurance, and payment services. CBA remains one of the largest contributors to the Australian economy in terms of tax, employment, and capital markets activity.

Strategic Positioning and Challenges

CBA’s enduring competitiveness stems from a combination of vast branch and ATM networks, deep customer relationships, digital banking investments, and strong capital buffers. It consistently invests in fintech innovation (which aligns with themes in tradeprofession.com’s technology and innovation coverage) to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

However, the bank faces headwinds: intensifying competition from digital challengers, regulatory scrutiny, interest rate volatility, and the need to maintain credit quality in uncertain macroeconomic conditions. Its public commitment to sustaining regional banking infrastructure (e.g., maintaining branch presence) also underscores the tension between cost control and social responsibility.

Relevance to Readers

For audiences interested in banking, investment, technology, and global finance, CBA is a natural centerpiece. Its scale, strategic pivots in digital banking, and impact on Australia’s mortgage and business lending markets make it a critical reference point. Further, its role in macroeconomic transmission — through credit flows, interest rates, and financial stability — links deeply to discussions on the economy.

2. BHP Group (BHP)

Overview and Global Reach

While headquartered in Melbourne, BHP Group is truly a global giant in mining and natural resources. It routinely ranks as the top publicly traded Australian company by revenue. Its operations span iron ore, copper, coal, petroleum, and more, with substantial operations in Australia, the Americas, and other regions. The company’s scale, capital-intensive projects, and influence in commodity markets make it foundational to Australia’s resource-driven export economy.

Strategic Evolution

BHP has been navigating a transition from pure commodity exposure toward a focus on metals essential to the energy transition — such as copper and nickel, which are critical for batteries and electric vehicles. In 2025, BHP committed over AUD 555 million toward boosting copper production from its Olympic Dam operations in South Australia, underlining a strategic shift into metals that support decarbonization. The company also faces challenges related to environmental regulation, community impact, and resource nationalism.

Relevance to TradeProfession.com

For readers engaged in sustainable business practices, global, innovation, and investment, BHP illustrates the intersection of scale, resource markets, and the energy transition. The firm's pivot toward critical minerals aligns with the increasing overlap between resource extraction and technology in mining (e.g. automation, ESG) arenas.

3. Woolworths Group

Retail Leadership

Woolworths Group stands as one of Australia’s dominant retailing forces. Its presence spans supermarkets, convenience retail, and grocery distribution, forming a backbone of Australian consumer supply chains. In revenue rankings, it is second among Australian publicly listed firms.

To compete in a challenging consumer environment, Woolworths invests in logistics, data-driven merchandising, private-label brands, e-commerce, and supply chain integration. It faces fierce competition from other majors, discount chains, and online entrants.

Strategic Imperatives

The company is focusing on improving logistics efficiency, reducing waste, and bolstering digital fulfillment operations, which respond to rising consumer expectations for convenience. It also plays a role in national debates around supply resilience, food security, and sustainability in retail — areas that resonate with tradeprofession.com’s focus on business and sustainable practice.

4. Wesfarmers

Diversified Conglomerate

Wesfarmers is a diversified industrial powerhouse with stakes across retail (including Bunnings, Kmart, Target), chemicals, resources, and industrials. Its portfolio model offers resilience — downturns in one sector may be offset by strength in others.

With annual revenue in the tens of billions (AUD 40 – 50 billion range), Wesfarmers is among Australia’s top enterprises. Its industrial operations also include chemicals and fertilisers, and in recent years, it has taken active steps to reposition its portfolio toward growth assets and divest underperforming segments.

Strategy and Transformation

Wesfarmers regularly reviews its business mix, investing in automation, logistics, and digital transformation across its retail arms. It balances operational scale with efficiency and seeks to stay ahead of retail disruption dynamics. It also considers capital allocation across its divisions carefully — whether to expand retail footprints or invest in emerging industrial opportunities.

Why It Matters

For an audience centered on business, investment, and innovation, Wesfarmers offers a case study in conglomerate management, portfolio strategy, and adaptation to retail disruption.

5. National Australia Bank (NAB)

Banking Scale

National Australia Bank (NAB) is one of the “Big Four” Australian banks and a major player in retail, corporate, and institutional banking. While its revenues trail CBA, its presence in business banking, agribusiness, and international operations gives it strength and influence.

In rankings based on revenue, NAB is among the top dozen public companies in Australia. It frequently competes with peers in areas such as lending, wealth management, and markets.

Focus and Risks

NAB emphasizes digital banking platforms, customer segmentation, and cost discipline. It continues to invest in technology and aims to grow in regions and sectors where it can differentiate. It also faces regulatory pressures, changes in banking margins, and challenges around credit quality under macro stress.

Connection to Themes

For tradeprofession.com’s readers, NAB is relevant to discussions in banking, investment, technology, and regional banking strategies — especially as it competes in a dynamic landscape of legacy banks and fintech entrants.

6. ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group)

Regional Banking Force

ANZ ranks among Australia’s largest banks by revenue. Its heritage extends across both Australia and New Zealand, and it maintains operations in Asia and beyond, especially in institutional banking. In a half-year period ending March 2025, ANZ reported revenues of approximately AUD 10.99 billion, with net profit rising 16%.

As of 2025, ANZ has navigated challenges from interest margin compression and global economic uncertainty but is focused on streamlining operations, enhancing customer propositions, and maintaining robust capital metrics.

Strategic Outlook

ANZ is balancing growth in institutional and international areas with its core domestic business. Technology transformation, digital banking, and branch rationalization are key levers. It monitors geopolitical exposure, particularly in Asia-Pacific markets, and positions itself as a leading regional banking institution.

Relevance

Readers interested in global banking, cross-border finance, and the intersection of digital transformation and core banking will find value in ANZ’s journey. It also connects to tradeprofession.com’s coverage of economy, global, and investment.

7. Fortescue Metals Group (FMG)

Mining and Energy Pivot

Fortescue Metals Group emerged as one of Australia’s top resource companies. In recent years, it has aggressively repositioned itself as a technology, energy and metals group, with an emphasis on green hydrogen, decarbonization, as well as iron ore operations.

In FY24, Fortescue reported underlying profit growth and strong volumes. However, in FY25 it faced challenges: declining commodity prices led to a 41% drop in net profit, down to US$3.37 billion. Despite this, dividend policy has been maintained, and capital is being redeployed into energy and decarbonization projects.

Fortescue invests in ambitious projects such as green hydrogen, green iron, and energy infrastructure. It aims to reposition itself beyond a pure mining player and toward a technology-integrated sustainable energy group.

Strategic Ambitions and Risks

The pivot carries execution risk, heavy upfront capital requirements, commodity markets volatility, and regulatory scrutiny. Critics question the pace of its transformation and whether core mining margins suffice to support future ambitions.

Fit with TradeProfession.com

Fortescue is especially relevant to readers focused on innovation, sustainable business, technology in heavy industries, and global energy transitions. Its journey shows how a resource giant seeks to become a green industrial leader — a case study in strategic reinvention.

8. Woodside Energy (now known as Woodside)

Energy and Gas Leadership

Woodside, a major Australian energy company, operates in oil, natural gas, LNG, and increasingly in low-carbon energy solutions. With rising global energy demand and transition pressures, Woodside has a critical position in balancing fossil portfolios with transition investments.

Although not as large in pure revenue as banks or miners, Woodside’s strategic importance — as an energy supplier, exporter of LNG, and investor in hydrogen and carbon capture — ensures its inclusion among Australia’s biggest and most influential corporate players.

Strategic Moves

Woodside is investing in carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, and renewable integration to transition toward a lower-carbon footprint. It’s managing production optimization and exploring diversification to maintain relevance in an evolving energy landscape.

Relevance

For audiences of tradeprofession.com, Woodside bridges energy, sustainable, global trade, and innovation. Its decisions echo across geopolitics, climate policy, and capital markets.

9. Brambles Limited

Logistics and Supply Chain Backbone

Brambles is a global logistics and supply chain services firm headquartered in Australia. It operates the CHEP pallet and container pool systems worldwide, enabling global logistics for many industries. Its business model — offering reusable pallets and returnable transport equipment to consumer goods, retail, and supply chains — gives it global reach beyond its Australian origins.

While revenue is lower than banking and mining giants, Brambles’ network effect, cross-border contracts, and integration into global supply chains make it one of Australia’s critical corporate assets.

Strategic Focus

Brambles invests in digital tracking systems, automation (e.g. pallet tracking, IoT), circular economy models, and sustainability in packaging and logistics. It competes globally in a complex milieu of supply chains, regulation, and efficiency demands.

Relevance

Brambles offers a powerful case study for readers interested in global business, technology, sustainable supply chains, and innovation in logistics. Its success reflects how Australian firms can scale globally in niche but foundational infrastructure.

10. Scentre Group / Westfield (via Scentre, real estate)

Real Estate and Retail Platforms

Scentre Group operates Westfield shopping centers across Australia and New Zealand. While not always categorized among top revenue names, in market capitalization and asset value it is a heavyweight. Its portfolio of premier retail real estate provides exposure to retail trends, leasing models, omnichannel retail dynamics, and urban consumer behavior.

As retail evolves, Scentre must contend with vacancy, e-commerce disruption, and reinventing mall experiences. Its scale and adaptability make it a benchmark in real estate, specifically retail property, in Australia.

Strategic Moves

Scentre is seeking to modernize its malls, integrate digital experiences, rezone for mixed use, and attract vibrant tenant mixes. It aims to transform from pure retail landlords to experience platforms.

Relevance

This firm connects to marketing, business transformation, real estate innovation, and consumer trends — all topics of strong interest to tradeprofession.com’s readers.

Broader Observations and Trends

Resource-Driven Dominance with a Shift Toward Transition

Australia’s largest companies historically derive strength from resource exports (iron ore, coal, gas) and banking. In 2025, many such firms are under pressure to evolve into sustainable and technology-integrated models. Fortescue, BHP, and Woodside best illustrate that transition tension.

Financials as a Pillar

Banks dominate the top — CBA, NAB, ANZ — because they capture compounding returns on capital, leverage, and economies of scale. Their balance sheets power investments and risk capital flows through the economy.

Global Integration and Exposure

Companies like BHP, Woodside, Brambles, and Wesfarmers have global operations; thus, they are sensitive to commodity cycles, geopolitical shifts, supply chain disruptions, and global regulatory regimes. Their performance provides a window into global trade dynamics.

Innovation, Technology, and Sustainability

Big Australian companies increasingly must blend industrial scale with digital agility and ESG commitments. For example, mining firms are embracing automation and green hydrogen; retailers are accelerating e-commerce; banks are competing with fintech; logistics companies incorporate IoT; real estate firms experiment with mixed-use and experiential retail.

Market Cap Versus Revenues

Some firms may have relatively modest revenues yet command high valuation due to growth potential, intellectual property, or strategic positioning — for instance, tech firms. Australia’s tech sector remains smaller than in the U.S., so scale in 2025 still skews toward resource, financial, and industrial companies.

Implications for TradeProfession.com Audience

Investment Insights: For investors analyzing Australian equity opportunities, these corporations represent anchor names in portfolios. Understanding their strategies, risks, and pivot plans offers a foundation for sector and market allocation decisions.

Sectoral Trends: Observing how giants transition (e.g. mining to green energy, retail to omnichannel, finance to fintech) helps readers predict where growth and disruption may concentrate in coming years.

Innovation Case Studies: Many of these firms are experimenting with emerging technologies — from hydrogen to AI, automated logistics to supply chain traceability — which can inform thought leadership, consulting, and business strategy content.

Policy & Economic Context: Because these firms interact heavily with public policy (environmental regulation, trade, taxation, infrastructure), their fortunes help frame macroeconomic narratives. For instance, BHP’s decisions affect trade balances; bank profitability interplays with interest rate policy; resource companies influence the national emissions discourse.

Geographic Relevance: While rooted in Australia, many of these firms have Asia-Pacific, U.S., or European operations — making them relevant to audiences in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Synergies with TradeProfession.com Themes: Internal links to pages like investment, technology, global, sustainable, business, innovation, economy, executive, and founders can help weave narrative threads connecting these mega-firms to your overall editorial vision.

Conclusion

As of 2025, the top 10 biggest businesses in Australia reflect both continuity and change: continuity in the enduring dominance of banks and resources, and change in the migration toward sustainability, digitalization, and global integration.

From Commonwealth Bank’s record profits and pivotal role in finance, to BHP’s repositioning toward energy-critical minerals; from Fortescue’s bold transition plans, to Brambles’ global logistics footprint; these companies embody the scale, ambition, and complexity that characterize contemporary Australian corporates.

For tradeprofession.com, featuring stories about these enterprises facilitates authoritative coverage of investment, technology, global markets, sustainability, and business strategy. By tracking how these giants evolve, adapt, and influence broader economic currents, your readers gain both depth and foresight into Australia’s—and indeed the region’s—corporate trajectory.