Best Retail Chains Companies in United States
The 1413 best Retail Chains companies in United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Walmart.
The strongest Retail Chains companies in the United States, ranked by disclosed equity funding and recent funding momentum, are collected here across 1,413 tracked businesses and $15.3B in total disclosed capital. The revenue pool behind this directory is staggering: 63 validated filers log a combined ~$1,045.5T in annual sales, with a median company revenue of $597M and growth running at a modest 1% YoY. Walmart alone pulls $706.4B at +5%, and Ross Stores books $22.8B at +8%, which tells you the upside isn't evenly distributed. And on net income, Walmart's $21.9B is 785 times the sector median of $28M. That's not a gap, it's a canyon.
So what separates the compounders from the crowd? Scale, data infrastructure, and pricing discipline, which is exactly why increased tax pressure on retailers' shoulders, as highlighted in recent sustainability questions around store expansion, keeps squeezing thinner-margin operators. I'd also note that app install growth of +20% YoY across nearly 970 retail apps signals where customer traffic is migrating. As shown in 2019 research, market concentration dynamics compound those advantages for operators already at scale. Top backers here include Freeman Spogli, Golden Gate Capital, and KarpReilly.
- GS1 US
- zdnet.com
Ranked: Best Retail Chains companies in United States
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Tech stack | App-install YoY | Market signals (1y) | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walmart Multinational retail corporation | $6.5B | 80 mo ago | 1,611,202 | WordPressMySQLPHP+35 | +15% | 696 signals Announcements · New product · Leadership | — | — |
| 2 | Lowe Home improvement retailer offering a range of products and services | $2.5B | 96 mo ago | 275,854 | Cart FunctionalityAdobe Experience ManagerApple iCloud Mail+44 | — | 48 signals ▲23% Earnings · Announcements · M&A | — | — |
| 3 | Sears Retailer of multi-category consumer products | $700M | 75 mo ago | 247,000 | Cart FunctionalityTypeScriptNode.js+39 | +0% | 3 signals ▼25% Announcements | — | — |
| 4 | Sally Beauty Holdings Retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies | $571M | 235 mo ago | 30,000 | YouTubeMicrosoft ASP.NETBootstrap+16 | — | 10 signals ▼29% Earnings · Leadership · Acquisition | — | — |
| 5 | Ralphs Supermarket chain in Southern California | $450M | 384 mo ago | 6,094 | Cart FunctionalityJavaTailwind CSS+22 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | National Vision Retailer of eyewear products | $353M | 92 mo ago | 13,975 | WagtailApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+21 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Murphy USA Retail gas station and convenience store chain operator | $300M | 109 mo ago | 9,600 | Q4SalesforceHighcharts+17 | — | 44 signals ▲52% Earnings · Leadership · Announcements | — | — |
| 8 | The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Nostalgic brand owner leveraging iconic brands for diversified retail channels | $260M | 202 mo ago | 2,656 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | Shinola Chain of fashionwear stores | $235M | 90 mo ago | 471 | ShopifyApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+42 | — | — | — | 1 award |
| 10 | Five Below Discount retail store operator | $231M | 189 mo ago | 6,100 6,100 → 14,878 (+144%) · sector median -23% | Cart FunctionalityApple iCloud MailNode.js+29 | +10% | 54 signals ▼45% Earnings · Announcements · Leadership | — | 6 job openings · 1 internship |
| 11 | Quiksilver Internet first brand offering apparel wear for men & women | $204M | 129 mo ago | — | ShopifyApple iCloud MailZoho+33 | — | — | 34 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 12 | Neiman Marcus Retail chain of luxury department store | $200M | 48 mo ago | 96 | Cart FunctionalityApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+36 | — | 4 signals ▼71% Announcements · Acquisition · Leadership | — | — |
| 13 | Neiman Marcus Group Retail chain of consumer products | $200M | 50 mo ago | 10,000 | DrupalPHPZURB Foundation+18 | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | maurices Retailer of women's apparel and accessories | $200M | 57 mo ago | 2,052 | Cart FunctionalitySentryApple iCloud Mail+48 | — | — | — | 1 internship · 1 award |
| 15 | Cheesecake Factory Restaurant chain and the distributor of cheesecakes | $200M | 73 mo ago | 47,500 | Cart FunctionalityDrupalApple iCloud Mail+18 | — | 17 signals ▲183% Earnings · Announcements · Layoffs | — | — |
| 16 | Chico's FAS Retail chain of private branded apparel wear for women | $200M | 94 mo ago | 8,207 8,207 → 5,592 (-32%) · sector median -23% | Q4MediaElement.jsMicrosoft ASP.NET+10 | — | 16 signals ▲433% Announcements · Earnings · Leadership | — | 1 award |
| 17 | European Wax Center Chain of hair removal salons | $142M | 93 mo ago | 124 | Cart FunctionalityShopifySentry+54 | — | 10 signals ▼55% Earnings · Leadership · M&A | — | — |
| 18 | 99 Cents Only Stores Mechanical system for continuously hauling heavy loads, featuring bolts and holes for efficient movement | $140M | 102 mo ago | 17,200 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | Golfsmith Retailer of golf equipments | $125M | 152 mo ago | 1,240 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | Pirch Abc Retail Chain offering lifestyle products | $125M | 116 mo ago | 353 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | Christy Sports Retailer of outdoor recreation equipment and rentals | $117M | 78 mo ago | 499 499 → 411 (-18%) · sector median -23% | Cart FunctionalitySalesforce Commerce CloudApple iCloud Mail+33 | — | — | — | 1 award |
| 22 | Charming Charlie Retailer of women's apparel, handbags, and accessories | $91M | 86 mo ago | 1,475 | Cart FunctionalityShopifyAmazon Web Services+25 | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | True Religion Apparel Internet first brand of fashion apparel wear for men and women | $88M | 33 mo ago | 1,453 1,453 → 1,433 (-1%) · sector median -23% | Cart FunctionalitySalesforce Commerce CloudApple iCloud Mail+19 | — | — | — | 1 job opening · 1 expansion |
| 24 | Wireless Vision Largest T-Mobile retailer, providing wireless services and devices | $86M | 123 mo ago | 2,158 2,158 → 1,309 (-39%) · sector median -23% | WordPressApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+25 | — | — | — | — |
| 25 | Sur La Table Retailer of cookware, dinnerware, cutlery, bakeware, and offers cooking classes | $71M | 115 mo ago | 2,117 2,117 → 1,529 (-28%) · sector median -23% | Cart FunctionalitySalesforce Commerce CloudApple iCloud Mail+32 | — | — | — | 1 job opening |
| 26 | Coldwater Creek Women's apparel, accessories, and home décor for timeless style | $65M | 167 mo ago | 1,132 | Cart FunctionalityBigCommerceNoibu+30 | — | — | 2 patents AI-driven fashion color forecasting and market trend analysis for apparel retailers | — |
| 27 | Mattress Firm Chain of mattress & furniture stores | $63M | 91 mo ago | 8,100 | Amazon WebstoreCart FunctionalityConstructor.io+58 | — | 3 signals ▼88% Leadership · M&A | 6 patents Climate-controlled sleep surfaces and color-based mattress display systems | — |
| 28 | Sugarfina A luxury candy boutique for grown-ups | $50M | 106 mo ago | 182 | Shopifycore-jsSwiper+9 | — | — | 56 patents Innovative packaging designs for confectionery products | 7 job openings |
| 29 | SpartanNash Grocery store retailer and food distributor | $50M | 162 mo ago | 17,500 | Apple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365Froala Editor+25 | — | 13 signals ▼79% Leadership · M&A · Announcements | — | 1 launch |
| 30 | Gymboree Internet first brand offering for kid's apparel | $49M | 104 mo ago | 10,100 | Cart FunctionalityNode.jsAstute Solutions+38 | — | — | — | 1 expansion |
| 31 | Batteries Provider of gadget repair services | $42M | 119 mo ago | 711 | Cart FunctionalityOptimizely Content ManagementApple iCloud Mail+27 | — | 10 signals ▼29% Announcements | 58 patents Dry powder electrode fabrication and crossover‑reduction technologies for redox flow batteries | 1 internship |
| 32 | The Paper Store Omnichannel retailer of gifting items | $37M | 140 mo ago | 1,349 1,349 → 1,171 (-13%) · sector median -23% | MivaCart FunctionalityApple iCloud Mail+37 | — | — | — | 9 job openings |
| 33 | &pizza Provider of handcrafted pizzas and catering services | $37M | 103 mo ago | 298 | Cart FunctionalityWordPressApple iCloud Mail+20 | — | 7 signals ▲250% Announcements · M&A | 4 patents Provides specialized packaging for individual pizza slices. | — |
| 34 | Ashley Stewart Retailer of plus-size women's apparel and accessories | $30M | 3 mo ago | 288 | Cart FunctionalityShopifyApple iCloud Mail+39 | — | — | — | — |
| 35 | Cache Operator of a chain of women's fashion apparel and accessories | $30M | 140 mo ago | 2,652 | — | — | — | 3 patents Modular vehicle floor panels enabling adaptable, reconfigurable vehicle interior structures | — |
| 36 | John’s Incredible Pizza Company Restaurant chain primarily serving pizza | $30M | 154 mo ago | 369 | SentryApple iCloud MailWindows Server+14 | — | — | — | — |
| 37 | Simple Management Group Retailer of consumer products | $28M | 10 mo ago | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 38 | Wet Seal Private Lable Fashion retailer for Young women | $27M | 146 mo ago | 800 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 39 | Naartjie Kids Provider of large-format printed graphics and installation services | $25M | 181 mo ago | 230 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 40 | Payless Shoesource Provider of affordable, stylish footwear and accessories | $25M | 87 mo ago | 5,861 | Cart FunctionalityVTEXApple iCloud Mail+30 | — | — | 55 patents Aesthetic footwear design: decorative toe bumpers, foxing stripes, and patterned shoe uppers | — |
| 41 | HopCat Operator of multiple craft beer bars and restaurants | $25M | 129 mo ago | — | SkolengoCart FunctionalityNode.js+21 | — | — | — | — |
| 42 | PetSmart Pet food, products and pet care service provider | $23M | 35 mo ago | 47,601 47,601 → 31,740 (-33%) · sector median -23% | Cart FunctionalitySalesforce Commerce CloudSentry+41 | — | 16 signals ▲33% Leadership · Announcements · Hiring | — | 1 job opening · 1 award |
| 43 | Ridemakerz Chain of toys stores | $23M | 219 mo ago | 201 | Square OnlineCart FunctionalityWeebly+20 | — | — | 47 patents Customizable modular toy vehicle systems and personalized accessory integration | — |
| 44 | Starbird Chicken Chain of limited service restaurant offering chicken | $21M | 55 mo ago | 29 | Webflow EcommerceCart FunctionalityWebflow+23 | — | 14 signals ▲180% Leadership | — | 5 job openings · 1 award |
| 45 | Bob's Discount Furniture Retail chain offering home improvement products | $18M | 128 mo ago | 6,018 | Cart FunctionalitySentryZendesk+55 | +15% | 12 signals ▲140% IPO · Earnings · Announcements | — | — |
| 46 | Green Zebra Grocery Operates a chain of offline grocery stores | $10M | 77 mo ago | 60 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 47 | TO THE MARKET Retail chain of artisan apparel & accessories | $7M | 31 mo ago | 24 | — | — | — | 11 patents Portable beverage container and drinking accessory designs | — |
| 48 | Impossible Kicks Retailer of sneakers and apparel collection | $7M | 25 mo ago | 24 | Cart FunctionalityShopifyVisa+31 | — | — | — | — |
| 49 | Salon Lofts Chain of beauty salon centers | $5M | 42 mo ago | 109 | Apple iCloud MailRubyBootstrap+28 | — | — | — | — |
| 50 | BinStar Online platform for finding deals on multiple products | $1M | 23 mo ago | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Top 12 Retail Chains companies in United States
#1
Acquired · Secaucus, New Jersey · founded 1991 · 288 employees$30.2Mraised▾
Retailer of plus-size women's apparel and accessories. It offers a wide selection of clothing, including dresses, tops, bottoms, outerwear, and swimwear, designed to fit sizes 10-36. The company provides various styles catering to different occasions and preferences. Customers can shop online and potentially utilize in-store pickup options. The business also features accessories and intimates.
- Feb 2026Conventional Debt$15M
#2
Series B · Windermere, Florida · founded 2009 · 6 employees$27.5Mraised▾
Provider of financial and retail services intended to promote sustainable growth and integrity. The company provides corporate leadership to non-traditional financial and retail establishments, providing communities with instant cash and stocking a wide range of lightly used and new inventory for purchase at each location.
- Jul 2025Series B$6M
- Oct 2021Series B$27.5M
#3
Public · Bentonville, Arkansas · founded 1962 · 1611202 employees$6.5Braised▾
Multinational retail corporation. It offers a wide variety of products across various categories such as electronics, apparel, home goods, toys, and more. It operates private label brands such as Sam's Choice, Great Value, Equate, and Smart Price. Fortune Global 500 named Walmart as the world's largest company by revenue in 2014.
- Oct 2019Conventional Debt$1.5B
- May 2018Conventional Debt$5B
#4
Public · Mooresville, Indiana · founded 1946 · 275854 employees$2.5Braised▾
Home improvement retailer offering a wide range of products and services. It provides service through its online and in-store platforms, catering to both residential and commercial customers. The company operates through various channels, including its e-commerce website, mobile apps, and physical stores, with a focus on providing customer satisfaction and disaster relief services.
- May 2018Post IPO$1B
- Apr 2017Conventional Debt$1.5B
#5
Acquired · Los Angeles, California · founded 2002 · 1453 employees$87.5Mraised▾
Internet first brand of fashion apparel wear for men and women
- Aug 2023Conventional Debt—
- Nov 2020Conventional Debt$27.5M
- Nov 2019Conventional Debt$60M
#6
Acquired · Hoffman Estates, Illinois · founded 1992 · 247000 employees$700Mraised▾
Sears is a retailer of multi-category consumer products. It offers products across categories such as apparels & accessories, consumer electronics & appliances, automotive products, furniture, beauty, health and others. The company sells its products mostly through offline stores. It also has one online shop. It is headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States.
- Feb 2020Conventional Debt$100M
- Nov 2019Conventional Debt$100M
- Oct 2019Conventional Debt$150M
- Nov 2018Conventional Debt$350M
#7
Acquired · Honolulu, Hawaii · founded 1907 · 96 employees$200Mraised▾
Retail chain of luxury department store
#8
Acquired · Dallas, Texas · founded 1907 · 10000 employees$200Mraised▾
Retail chain of consumer products
#9
Series B · West Hartford, Connecticut · founded 2021 · 24 employees$7Mraised▾
Operator of a resale platform intended to buy and sell high-end sneakers and designer streetwear apparel. The company's platform offers a wide variety of styles of well-known clothing brands and limited-edition products such as apparel, shoes, and accessories, enabling customers to avail of easy-to-access shopping experiences.
- May 2024Series B$695K
- Oct 2022Series A$300K
- Sep 2022Series A$3M
#10
Acquired · Duluth, Minnesota · founded 1931 · 2052 employees$200Mraised▾
Retailer of women's apparel and accessories. It offers a variety of clothing items including tops, jeans, dresses, and intimates, along with accessories such as jewelry and shoes. The company also provides plus-size clothing options. A loyalty program and credit card are available to customers. The business model includes both online and brick-and-mortar retail channels.
- Sep 2021Conventional Debt$200M
#11
Seed · Boston, Massachusetts · founded 2023$1.1Mraised▾
Online platform for finding deals on multiple products. The platform provides discounted merchandises including returned products. The product catalog includes electronics, home improvements, and more.
- Jun 2024Seed$1.1M
#12
Public · Lawrenceville, Georgia · founded 1990 · 13975 employees$353Mraised▾
National Vision is a retailer of eyewear in the USA. It owns five brands such as America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Eyeglass World, Vision Centers brought to you by Walmart, Vista Optical and Optical Centers. It operates 900 retail stores in 44 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as of Dec 2016. It also operates 18 e-commerce websites selling contact lenses and eyeglasses as of Dec 2016.
- Oct 2018Conventional Debt$200M
- 2017Unattributed—
- Jul 2005Conventional Debt$153M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Retail Chains coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
Common questions
Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.