1. Disney
Revenue: US$55bn
One-year return: 15%
The theme parks and cartoons are now just a fraction of Disney’s business. Its acquisition of Marvel Studios in 2009 has given the company a string of Hollywood hits thanks to hugely successful franchises such as Iron Man, The Avengers, Spider-Man and many more, while its proposed acquisition of 21st Century Fox will see it add the X-Men and Deadpool franchises.
Oh, and did we mention Star Wars? No company earns more from millennial movie tickets (or streaming fees)—and its movies are also loved in the fast-growing Chinese market.