8 Best Holding Company Examples

Holding Company Examples

A holding company is an entity established with the primary purpose of owning and controlling other entities. They achieve this by holding sufficient voting power or shares in those companies. The firms that are owned or managed by a holding company are called subsidiary companies.

The maximum number of subsidiaries that a holding company can own is not fixed. Typically, by holding 50% or more of the voting power or shares, the parent company gains the ability to make management decisions and control the business.

Another name for a holding company is a parent company. Such companies enjoy benefits like simplified financing, long-term project sustainability, and reduced risk. Across the globe, several well-known holding companies operate across industries.

Below, we share popular holding company examples from different countries and sectors.

Some Popular Holding Company Examples

Listed below are some examples of holding companies:

1. Alphabet Inc. (United States)

One of the most well-known multinational holding company examples is Alphabet Inc. In 2015, Google was restructured to become a subsidiary of Alphabet, which today oversees Google alongside ventures in AI, life sciences, and autonomous vehicles.

• Headquarters: Mountain View, California, USA
• Industry: Technology & Internet Services
• Key Subsidiaries: Google, Waymo, DeepMind, Verily, Calico, CapitalG, Sidewalk Labs
• Snapshot: Full-year 2025 revenue reached $402.8 billion, up 15% year-on-year and crossing $400 billion for the first time, with Google Cloud revenue up 36% (Alphabet FY2025 results, reported February 2026)

Alphabet continues to trade publicly under the holding structure it adopted a decade ago, with its “Other Bets” ventures reported separately from core Google operations.

Read More: What is a Subsidiary Company?

2. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (United States)

One of the biggest holding company examples for financial services and investment banking worldwide is JPMorgan Chase.

• Headquarters: New York, USA
• Industry: Banking & Financial Services
• Key Subsidiaries: J.P. Morgan, Chase Bank, J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management, J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking
• Snapshot: Full-year 2025 net revenue of $182.4 billion and net income of $57.0 billion, with total assets of $4.4 trillion (JPMorgan Chase FY2025 10-K)

Formed in 2000 after the consolidation of JPMorgan and Chase Manhattan Bank, the firm trades on the NYSE under “JPM” and remains under Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon.

3. Sony Group Corporation (Japan)

Sony is a Japanese multinational holding company well known for its electronics, music, and gaming businesses.

• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Industry: Electronics, Entertainment, Gaming
• Key Subsidiaries: Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Financial Group
• Snapshot: Sales from continuing operations reached approximately $82.8 billion for the fiscal year ended March 2026, up 4% year-on-year, with operating income up 13% to roughly $9.6 billion (Sony full-year results)

Founded in 1946, Sony continues to draw a growing share of profit from its Game & Network Services segment, home to the PlayStation ecosystem.

4. Johnson & Johnson (United States)

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is one of the most well-known healthcare holding companies.

• Headquarters: New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
• Industry: Pharmaceuticals, MedTech, Innovative Medicine
• Key Subsidiaries: Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (formerly Janssen), Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Ethicon
• Snapshot: Full-year 2025 reported sales of $94.2 billion, up 6.0% year-on-year, with adjusted EPS of $10.79 (J&J Q4 and Full-Year 2025 results)

Founded in 1887 and led by Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato, J&J now focuses on six areas: oncology, immunology, neuroscience, cardiovascular, surgery, and vision — following the 2023 spinoff of its consumer health brands into the now-separate company Kenvue.

5. Berkshire Hathaway (United States)

Berkshire Hathaway is a conglomerate holding company built by Warren Buffett over six decades.

• Headquarters: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
• Industry: Diversified Conglomerate
• Key Subsidiaries: GEICO, Duracell, Dairy Queen, Clayton Homes, BNSF Railway
• Snapshot: Full-year 2025 net earnings attributable to shareholders were $66.97 billion, with the company holding major public stakes in Apple, Coca-Cola, and American Express (Berkshire Hathaway FY2025 annual report)

Buffett stepped down as CEO at the end of 2025 after 55 years at the helm; Greg Abel became CEO on January 1, 2026, with Buffett remaining Chairman of the Board.

6. Reliance Industries Limited (India)

Reliance Industries is one of the largest Indian holding companies, with operations across multiple sectors.

• Headquarters: Mumbai, India
• Industry: Energy, Telecom, Retail, Petrochemicals
• Key Subsidiaries: Jio Platforms, Reliance Retail, Jio-bp, Network18 Group
• Snapshot: Consolidated revenue of approximately ₹9.98 lakh crore (~$110 billion) for FY25 (year ended March 2025), with net profit of ₹81,309 crore (~$8.6 billion) and over 403,000 employees

Founded in 1973 by Dhirubhai Ambani, Reliance operates as a multinational conglomerate under Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani.

7. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (United States)

Goldman Sachs is one of the most recognisable holding company examples in global investment banking and asset management.

• Headquarters: New York, USA
• Industry: Investment Banking & Asset Management
• Key Subsidiaries: Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Marcus by Goldman Sachs
• Snapshot: Full-year 2025 net revenues of $58.3 billion and net earnings of $17.18 billion, with return on equity of 15.0% (Goldman Sachs FY2025 annual report)

Founded in 1869, the firm operates as a bank holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve and is led by Chairman and CEO David Solomon.

8. Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland)

Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage holding company, with brands sold in nearly every country.

• Headquarters: Vevey, Switzerland
• Industry: Food & Beverage
• Key Subsidiaries: Nespresso, Purina, Gerber, Nestlé Health Science
• Snapshot: Total reported sales of CHF 89.5 billion for FY2025, with 271,000 employees across 335 factories in 75 countries (Nestlé full-year 2025 results)

Philipp Navratil took over as CEO in 2025 and has since refocused the group’s portfolio around four core categories.

Conclusion

A holding company is a parent firm that owns and manages other companies, often across industries and geographies. The above holding company examples—from Alphabet and Berkshire Hathaway in the USA, Sony in Japan, to Reliance in India—show how these structures create global influence.

By managing subsidiaries, filing consolidated financial statements, and leveraging tax and governance efficiencies, holding companies continue to shape industries worldwide. Planning to establish a holding company? Learn from leading holding company examples and consult OnDemand International for strategic execution.

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