Industries with the Biggest Increase in Profit Margin in the US in 2024

1. Airport Operations in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 13.3pp

Demand for the Airport Operations industry is influenced by trends in domestic and international air travel. Overall, lightly competing enterprises benefited from economic growth, which led to increased spending on air travel among businesses and consumers. Similarly, an increase in the number of high-income households spiked demand for private air travel services. While these dynamics precipitated revenue growth, the industry has suffered from a significant amount of volatility as a result of the unprecedented COVID-19 disruption in 2020. However, thanks to government investment, airport operators were able to withstand the low periods until demand for travel returned. Therefore, revenue increased... Learn More

2. Commercial Banking in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 8.1pp

The Commercial Banking industry is composed of banks regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Fed) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Banks generate most of their revenue through loans they originate to customers and businesses. Loans are made at various interest rates that are influenced by different factors, including the federal funds rate (FFR), the prime rate, debtors' creditworthiness and macroeconomic performance.

The industry experienced mixed performance. Industry operators benefited between 2017 and 2019 due to interest rate hikes by the Fed and increasing economic activity. In 2020, the COVID-19... Learn More

3. International Airlines in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 7.8pp

Demand for the International Airlines industry has experienced significant volatility over the past five years. During the beginning of the current period, mounting competition from foreign competitors and chronic overcapacity within the industry's cargo transportation segment forced industry operators to slash ticket prices and reduce freight shipping rates, causing industry revenue to decline. Unprecedented disruption from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic generated the most substantial revenue decline in industry history. As global economies and health recover, pent-up consumer demand is anticipated to drive industry recovery toward the end of the period. Overall, industry revenue has decreased at a CAGR of 0.5%... Learn More

4. Health & Welfare Funds in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 7.5pp

The industry provides healthcare coverage and welfare benefits to employees, unions and other professional associations. These funds function similarly to pension funds and employee benefit programs, which aim to provide cost-effective medical and welfare coverage on a nonprofit basis for the benefit of members. The current period has been tumultuous for the industry. COVID-19 caused states and localities to shut down businesses and enforce social distancing rules, which resulted in a drop in stock prices. Since health and welfare funds invest heavily in the stock market, this led to a decline in revenue for the industry. Asset markets have been... Learn More

5. Amusement Parks in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 6.0pp

Over the past five years, more visitors and rising consumer spending drove industry revenue. Amusement and theme park companies operate mechanical rides, water rides, games, shows, exhibits and refreshment stands, among many other attractions for consumer entertainment. Five major companies dominate the industry: Walt Disney, Universal Parks & Resorts, SeaWorld, Six Flags and Cedar Fair. The industry is highly competitive and major amusement park operators have used intellectual property rights to use film franchises and entertainment to attract consumers. Despite the COVID-induced decline, industry revenue grew at a CAGR of 2.4% to $25.7 billion through 2023.

Despite solid revenue growth, this... Learn More

6. Video Conferencing Software Developers in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 4.8pp

The Video Conferencing Software Developers industry has become indispensable over the past five years, transformed extensively by extreme digitization pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly at large corporations. This trend has been encouraged by several key factors shaping the corporate landscape, including highly globalized workforces, work-from-home policies and flatter organizational structures. The functionality and accessibility of video conferencing software were also forced to improve dramatically during the pandemic, as consumers spent more on webcams, microphones and laptops than ever. Seamless functionality and greater integration have popularized the unified communications as a service (UCaaS) designation for more robust, enterprise-level platforms serviced... Learn More

7. Movie Theaters in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 4.0pp

Demand for movie theaters will significantly decline through the end of 2023 as a result of intense competition from online streaming platforms. The industry experienced its largest drop in performance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which fueled at-home viewership. Still, rising per capita disposable income and the success of blockbuster films prior to the pandemic brought some revenue growth, though this has been significantly offset by other declines. Industry revenue has fallen at a CAGR of 15.9% to $8.9 billion through the end of 2023. Profit has also declined as drops in box office attendance made paying fixed costs, such as... Learn More

8. Horse & Other Equine Production in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 3.6pp

Horse and equine producers raise horses, mules, donkeys and other equines) for transportation, racing events, rodeo competitions, showing and other recreational sports. The strong economy in the years preceding the pandemic led to record-low unemployment and surging wages. These conditions caused consumer confidence to skyrocket, so people were more willing to make risky investments in horse racing, which increased producers' revenue. During COVID-19, the federal government gave Americans massive amounts of aid. Consumers spent more on horses, which boosted revenue for producers.

Rising interest rates have fostered recessionary fears, as a higher cost of borrowing has the potential to bring the... Learn More

9. Auto Leasing, Loans & Sales Financing in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 3.5pp

The Auto Leasing, Loans and Sales Financing industry includes establishments that provide sales financing or leasing in combination with sales financing for automobiles. To start the period, increased consumer spending drove demand for industry services, while a rising prime rate drove up the cost of (and therefore revenue generated by) industry services, resulting in revenue growth. The industry saw negative revenue growth in 2020 as it faced depressed consumer demand and a lower prime rate due to the pandemic. The industry returned to growth in 2021 as consumer spending rebounded, as well as in 2022 as the prime rate has... Learn More

10. Sugarcane Harvesting in the US

Percentage Point Increase for 2024: 2.9pp

The industry has been relatively resilient, with revenue ultimately growing in recent years. As much of the agricultural sector was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020, industry revenue increased, unlike most crop growing industries. Overall, weather patterns are historically responsible for fluctuations in price and production. Following Hurricane Ida in 2021, industry performance was affected as production became limited due to the aftermath of the storm. Revenue is expected to rise at a CAGR of 1.4% to reach $1.3 billion in 2023, when revenue is set to fall 4.6% as falling fertilizer prices are passed along and per capita... Learn More