Most Profitable Industries in Australia in 2025

1. Superannuation Funds in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $278.0B

Significant global market volatility has affected invest incomes for superannuation funds in recent years. The initial COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent economic uncertainty, including inflationary pressures, saw revenue for funds fluctuate dramatically. Superannuation fund revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 0.7% over the five years through 2022-23, to total $230.1 billion, although the period has seen significant volatility. Superannuation fund's total assets are a more accurate indicator of the industry's size, with assets expected to grow at an annualised 3.4% over the same period, to $3.5 trillion. Continued incremental increases to the Superannuation Guarantee Scheme have boosted contributions to... Learn More

2. Finance in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $158.1B

The Finance sector's operating environment has characterised by record low interest rates and market turbulence over most of the past five years. A strong residential property market supported by housing price growth and high numbers of house transfers have supported the incomes of many lenders. Yet, volatile business confidence and inflationary pressures have limited growth in capital expenditure from the private sector and overall demand from commercial clients. Competition from neobanks and other fintech disruptors has spurred some larger financial firms to invest in new capabilities in the online space. Overall, sector revenue is expected to decline at an... Learn More

3. National and Regional Commercial Banks in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $68.4B

Banks are grappling with a transition from years of loose monetary policy to tighter financial conditions. Soaring inflation has prompted an RBA pivot, in the face of surging energy, housing and food prices. The RBA has aggressively hiked the cash rate since May 2022. Prior to this, banks cashed in on high residential housing prices, with low interest rates and government schemes encouraging strong mortgage uptake over the course of the pandemic. APRA also eased the interest rate buffer in 2019, before raising it in 2021. Although a subdued cash rate cut banks' interest incomes, it was more than offset... Learn More

4. Professional Services in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $27.5B

The Professional Services subdivision provides various professional, scientific and technical services to a range of markets. The subdivision's performance is largely linked to overall economic conditions, which often determine business confidence and capital expenditure. Over the past five years, greater business profit, rising capital expenditure by the public sector and mostly positive business confidence have supported subdivision demand. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted several industries in the Professional Services subdivision, weighing on its performance. In particular, demand for architectural services, and surveying and mapping services fell over the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, as many construction projects were delayed... Learn More

5. Residential Property Operators in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $20.1B

The Residential Property Operators industry involves renting or leasing out residential property. The number of households that do not own residential property – and therefore need to rent it from landlords – is the main driver of industry demand. Recently, the industry's performance has diminished, as high vacancy rates, eviction moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic and lower residential property yields have negatively affected property operators. Overall, industry revenue has slipped by 0.3% over the five years to 2022-23, to $54.1 billion. This trend includes a rise of 3.7% in 2022-23, as revenue recovers thanks to pandemic restrictions easing and borders... Learn More

6. Health Services in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $18.7B

The Health Services subdivision covers a range of health services and facilities. General hospitals are the subdivision's largest revenue driver, accounting for over half of Australia's health services revenue. General practitioners (GPs), clinical specialists and dentists also represent significant revenue streams for the subdivision. While Australia's growing and ageing population has bolstered demand for health services in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted subdivision expansion, as health services redirected resources to contain the virus.

Overall, subdivision revenue is expected to edge up by an annualised 1.2% over the five years to 2023-24 to $202.4 billion. This soft growth rate reflects the... Learn More

7. Oil and Gas Extraction in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $17.9B

Oil and gas producers have experienced significant revenue volatility. Changes in oil and gas prices, exchange rate movements, annual production volumes, and domestic and export demand for oil and gas all influence performance. Output has expanded over the past decade, while world oil and natural gas prices have displayed significant volatility.

Australia's natural gas production, which makes up most of the industry has soared over the past decade as new gas fields have been developed to feed Australia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. Global trade in LNG has expanded with growing demand for LNG in Asian markets and weakness in the... Learn More

8. Retail Property Operators in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $17.6B

Retail property operators have contended with volatile trading conditions over the past five years. Although demand for retail trade has grown, online shopping's mounting popularity has constrained demand for traditional bricks-and-mortar locations as some retailers have reduced their in-store presences to soften rent costs. Previously low interest rates supported the development and supply of retail properties for lease. Low interest rates also provided tenants greater bargaining power for more desirable lease agreements. Non-essential retail activity has also declined, limiting retail property operations revenue. Overall, revenue is expected to fall at an annualised 8.2% over the past five years and is... Learn More

9. General Insurance in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $13.1B

Natural disasters have been prevalent in recent years, heightening the number of claims insurers incur and forcing them to raise premiums. Higher premium income has been the lynchpin behind revenue growth. The catastrophic 2019-20 bushfire season, 2021-22 floods and the COVID-19 pandemic have eroded general insurers' profitability. The COVID-19 pandemic also changed the types of insurance claims made. Industry revenue is expected to climb at an annualised 5.2% over the five years through 2022-23, to $89.9 billion. However, volatile investment returns for most of the period have partially offset this trend. A spiking cash rate has propelled revenue, with a... Learn More

10. Local Government Administration in Australia

Total Profit for 2025: $12.2B

The Local Government Administration industry includes municipal councils in Australia. The industry has three primary means of generating income: rates charges, user charges, including statutory fees and fines, and government funding. Revenue has been growing at an average annualised 1.3% over the past five years and is expected to total $56.9 billion in 2022-23, when revenue will jump by an estimated 1.0%. An expanding number of households has provided a steady source of revenue in recent years, as councils charge rates on a per-property basis. Property rates and charges are the primary source of local government income. Nonetheless, segment revenue... Learn More