25 Healthcare Companies Make 2026 Fortune Global 500; Eli Lilly Posts Largest Rank Gain

What Happened

• 25 healthcare companies (pharma, biotech, devices, distributors) appear on the 2026 Fortune Global 500.

• McKesson entered the top 10 for the first time at No. 7, with revenue of $403.4 billion.

• Eli Lilly gained 112 positions, jumping from 336th to 224th, the largest climb among healthcare firms.

• Three Chinese healthcare companies are listed: Sinopharm (129th), Shanghai Pharma (411th), and Guangzhou Pharma (467th).

• Bayer was the only healthcare company reporting a net loss ($4.1 billion).

On July 28, 2026, Fortune magazine published its annual Global 500 list, ranking the world's largest corporations by revenue. Among the 500, 31 companies are classified as health-care related. After excluding pure health insurers, 25 familiar names in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and distribution are represented. The minimum revenue threshold for inclusion rose from $32.2 billion to $33.2 billion compared with the prior year.

Key Highlights

• UnitedHealth Group remains the highest-ranked healthcare company at No. 4, with revenues of $447.6 billion.

• McKesson moved into the top 10 for the first time, ranking No. 7 with $403.4 billion in revenue.

• CVS Health follows at No. 9 with $402.1 billion, rounding out the healthcare presence in the top 10.

• Johnson & Johnson (No. 120, $94.2B) leads among diversified healthcare product companies, and Sinopharm (No. 129, $89.4B) is the top Chinese healthcare firm.

• Eli Lilly posted the largest year-over-year gain among healthcare companies, jumping 112 places to No. 224, driven by strong revenue of $65.2 billion and profit of $20.6 billion.

• Bayer (No. 304) was the only healthcare company on the list reporting a net loss, at $4.1 billion.

Notable Movers

Several companies changed rank significantly. Johnson & Johnson moved up from a prior position to 120th, while Novartis (267th), Novo Nordisk (333rd), and AstraZeneca (262nd) held steady or improved slightly. Merck (225th) and Pfizer (240th) remained in the top 250. Among Chinese companies, Sinopharm dropped from its earlier 2025 ranking, while Shanghai Pharmaceuticals (411th) and Guangzhou Pharmaceutical (467th) maintained their presence. AbbVie (246th), Bristol-Myers Squibb (328th), and Amgen (454th) all appear in the bottom half of the list.

References

Fortune. (2026). Global 500 2026. [Online listing]
Source compilation from Chinese-language media outlet, July 28, 2026.