16 Most Valuable Entertainment Companies in the World

Published on September 3, 2021 at 12:29 pm by Omer Farooq in Lists, News

In this article, we are going to list the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the entertainment industry, and go directly to the 5 Most Valuable Entertainment Companies in the World.

Despite being one of the most valuable industries in the world, the global entertainment and media industry experienced a 3.8% drop in revenues from $2.1 trillion in 2019 to $2 trillion in 2020. However, according to Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2021–2025, the global entertainment sector will grow from here on. The entertainment industry is expected to grow by 6.5% in 2021, 6.7% in 2022, all the way up to $2.6 trillion in 2025 registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%.

The entertainment industry includes film. television, radio, and print media. These segments include movies, TV shows, radio shows, news, music, newspapers, magazines, and books among many other mediums. It does not matter if you belong to the city or the countryside, as long as you have a television, an internet connection, or a paperboy, you are exposed to the entertainment industry in one way or another.

The latest development in the entertainment industry is that of streaming services. With the advent of Covid-19 countries went into complete lockdowns. People were forced to stay home. Since in-person venues were also shut down, the use of in-home digital services soared. The days of keeping track of the exact airtime of your favorite shows, or having to wait till the next session to watch another episode are long gone. Services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and many others now allow for us to binge-watch our favorite TV shows and movies, and that too without commercial breaks. Netflix pioneered the streaming industry and is now one of the most valuable entertainment companies in the world, services like HBO Max and Disney Plus followed. Netflix attracted a record 37 million net additional subscribers, getting the number well above 200 million. As of the first quarter of 2021, Netflix reported 207.64 million paid subscribers worldwide.

The trend of streaming services is going to be around for a long time. According to the Global OTT TV and Video Forecasts, global revenues from over-the-top (OTT) TV episodes and films will reach $210 billion in 2026, up from $106 billion in 2020, and about $23 billion will be added in 2021 alone. Yes, the streaming industry contributes significantly to the size of the global entertainment industry but, we also have the gaming industry.

According to Mordor Intelligence’s report Gaming Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 – 2026), the global gaming industry was valued at $173.70 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow up to $314.40 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 9.64%. We can see that the video games and streaming industry are thriving and contributing significantly to the size of the global entertainment industry, what about movie theatres and cinemas? Movie theatre box office revenues fell by 71% in 2020. Even in March 2021, nearly a quarter of the movie theatres in the U.S. were still closed.

The biggest contributors to the value of the entertainment industry are Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI).

Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash

Our Methodology

To compile this list of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world, we first identified the key contributors to the entertainment industry by looking at reports like Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2021–2025, Global OTT TV and Video Forecasts, and Gaming Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 – 2026). Once we got the company names, we sourced their market caps and revenues from their Yahoo Finance profiles. The market capitalization of a company is a direct reflection of the worth of a company in the market since it represents the total value of all its shares and how much investors are willing to pay for it. In our rankings, we gave preference to market capitalization and ranked all companies in ascending order of market caps.

With this context in mind, let’s now take a look at the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world.

Most Valuable Entertainment Companies in the World

16. Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME)

Market Cap: $16.6 billion
Total Revenue: $4.5 billion

Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME) is an online music entertainment platform based in China. The company offers 4 highly popular and innovative apps: QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and WeSing. These apps collectively have more than 800 million active users. Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME) is tied to Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) through mutual ownership. Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) owns 9% of the company, while Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME) owns 7.5% of its Swedish competitor. Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME) was founded about 4 years ago in 2016, went public in 2018, and has progressed to become one of the most valuable entertainment companies in the world.

15. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH)

Market Cap: $22.5 billion
Total Revenue: $15.49 billion

DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is an American television provider. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) provides direct broadcast satellite subscription television, audio programming, and interactive television services to commercial and residential subscribers in the United States. As of 2020, DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) had over 20,000 employees and 11.3 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States, including 8.816 million DISH TV subscribers and 2.474 million SLING TV subscribers.

Like Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT), and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a major global provider of entertainment.

14. ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC)

Market Cap: $25.5 billion
Total Revenue: $25.3 billion

ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC) is an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was founded in 2019, after the merger of Viacom and CBS. The TV Entertainment offered by ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC) offers a schedule of news and public affairs broadcasts, sports and entertainment programming, and schedules programming on the CBS Television Network that includes comedies and dramas, reality shows, kids’ shows, morning shows, game shows, and late-night programs. In 2020, ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC) had over 22,000 employees and generated gross profits of up to $10.2 billion.

ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC)’s main competitors include Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS).

13. Flutter Entertainment plc (OTC: PDYPY)

Market Cap: $34.8 billion
Total Revenue: $6.1 billion

Flutter Entertainment plc (OTC: PDYPY) is an Irish sports betting and gaming company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company boasts a consumer base of 14 million customers spread out worldwide, who are serviced by over 14,000 employees working in more than 20 offices and 600 retail outlets. Flutter Entertainment plc (OTC: PDYPY) was founded only 5 years ago and has progressed to become one of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world. In 2020, Flutter Entertainment plc (OTC: PDYPY) generated gross profits of up to $3.9 billion.

12. Vivendi SE (EPA: VIV.PA)

Market Cap: $38.9 billion
Total Revenue: $18.9 billion

Vivendi SE (EPA: VIV.PA) is a French media conglomerate headquartered in Paris. The company is more commonly known as the owner of Universal Music Group, Gameloft, Groupe Canal+, Havas, Editis, Vivendi Village, and Dailymotion. The Universal Music Group is involved in the sales of digital and traditional records. The Canal+ Group is involved in the distribution of premium and thematic pay-TV and free-to-air channels. Gameloft is responsible for the development of downloadable video games for smart devices. Vivendi SE (EPA: VIV.PA) is a French Giant in the entertainment industry that has over 42,000 employees. In 2020, Vivendi SE (EPA: VIV.PA) generated gross profits of up to $8.5 billion.

Like Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT), and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), Vivendi SE (EPA: VIV.PA) is an entertainment giant.

11. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA)

Market Cap: $39.4 billion
Total Revenue: $5.5 billion

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) is an American video-game company, most famous for its franchises FIFA, The Sims, and Need For Speed. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) is the second-largest video-game company in America by market capitalization, right after Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI). The company is one of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world. The company employs over 11,000 people currently. In 2020, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) generated gross profits of up to $4.1 billion.

10. Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT)

Market Cap: $40.4 billion
Total Revenue: $9.3 billion

Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) is a Swedish leading audio streaming services provider. As of June 2021, Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) is the world’s largest music streaming service provider, having over 365 million monthly active users, of which 165 million are paying subscribers. By the end of this year, Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) is expected to operate in a total of 178 countries. Currently, the service is available in most of Europe and America, and more than 40 countries in Africa, and Asia. In 2020, Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) reported gross profits of $2.36 billion.

Like Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) is one of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world.

9. Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (TYO: 4661.T)

Market Cap: $47.1 billion
Total Revenue: $4.2 billion

The Oriental Land Company, Limited, also known as Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (TYO: 4661.T) is a Japanese leisure and tourism corporation. It also owns and operates the Tokyo Disney Resort. Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (TYO: 4661.T) operates in three segments, divided as theme parks, hotels, and other businesses. The company is over 60 years old and has about 9,000 full-time employees. The market cap of Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (TYO: 4661.T) merits its inclusion in our list of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world.

8. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY)

Market Cap: $56.6 billion
Total Revenue: $11.9 billion

Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY) is a Japanese multinational consumer electronics and video game company involved in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of electronic entertainment products worldwide. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY) is well known for its evergreen handheld console, the Nintendo DS, and their home console Wii. In 2020, Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY) reported gross profits up to $8.8 billion. On the open market, Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY) is worth $56.6 billion, cementing its position among the top 10 of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world.

Like Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY) is a leading global provider of entertainment.

7. Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI)

Market Cap: $65.2 billion
Total Revenue: $8.1 billion

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is the largest video-game company in America by market cap, leading Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA). On top of this Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is a member of the Fortune 500 and S&P 500. The company’s most popular franchises include Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Overwatch. In 2020, Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) generated gross profits of up to $5.8 billion, and their monthly active users (MAUs) were 397 million.

Like Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), and Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS: NTDOY), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is one of the 16 most valuable entertainment companies in the world.

6. Sony Group Corporation (NYSE: SONY)

Market Cap: $126.3 billion
Total Revenue: $75.3 billion

Sony Group Corporation (NYSE: SONY) is a Japanese multinational conglomerate that owns and operates many entertainment subsidiaries, in addition to its electronics business. The most famous product being the Sony PlayStation, for which, Naughty Dog developed exclusive games belonging to the Unchartered and Last Of Us franchises. Naughty Dog is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, which is owned by Sony Group Corporation (NYSE: SONY). In 2020, Sony Group Corporation (NYSE: SONY) reported gross profits of up to $22.3 billion.

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