Key Stats
- Founded: 1869 in New York City
- 2024 Revenue: $53.51 billion
- Employees (2024): 46,500
- Market Cap (Feb 2026): $284 billion
- Headquarters: New York City, United States
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. operates as a global investment banking, securities, and investment management company. The firm provides services across investment banking, securities underwriting, prime brokerage, asset management, and wealth management. Goldman Sachs serves corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide.
Goldman Sachs ranks among the largest investment banks globally by revenue and holds the 55th position on the Fortune 500 list. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GS. Today, Goldman Sachs operates through two primary segments: Global Banking and Markets, and Asset and Wealth Management.
Goldman Sachs History
Goldman Sachs Co-founders
Marcus Goldman
German-born immigrant who founded the firm in 1869 as a commercial paper dealer. He built the business by purchasing promissory notes from merchants and reselling them to commercial banks in New York.
Samuel Sachs
Joined as Goldman’s son-in-law in 1882 and helped transform the company into a full-service banking operation. The firm adopted the name Goldman Sachs and Co. in 1885.
Goldman Sachs Revenue
Goldman Sachs generated $53.51 billion in net revenues for fiscal year 2024, a 16% increase from the previous year. The company’s earnings per share grew 77% to $40.54.
Global Banking and Markets produced $34.94 billion in net revenues during 2024, driven by record performances in Equities and strong results in investment banking fees and FICC (Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities).
Goldman Sachs Marketcap
Goldman Sachs maintains a market capitalization of approximately $284 billion as of February 2026. The company’s stock price reached an all-time high of $975.86 in January 2026.
The bank’s valuation has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 11.15% over the past decade, outperforming many competitors in the financial sector.
Goldman Sachs Acquisitions
Goldman Sachs has pursued strategic acquisitions throughout its history to expand capabilities and enter new markets. The 1981 acquisition of J. Aron and Company, a commodities trading firm, merged with the Fixed Income division to form Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities (FICC). Current CEO Lloyd Blankfein joined the firm through this transaction.
In 1999, Goldman acquired Hull Trading Company for $531 million to strengthen its electronic trading capabilities. The 2000 purchase of Spear, Leeds, and Kellogg for $6.3 billion added one of the largest specialist firms on the New York Stock Exchange to its operations.
Under CEO David Solomon’s leadership, Goldman expanded into consumer finance. The firm acquired Clarity Money in 2018, a personal finance app that became part of the Marcus platform. In 2019, Goldman purchased United Capital Financial Advisers for $750 million, its largest acquisition in nearly two decades at that time.
Goldman announced its acquisition of GreenSky in September 2021 for approximately $2.24 billion (closing at $1.73 billion in March 2022). The fintech platform provided home improvement financing and aligned with the Marcus consumer banking strategy. However, Goldman later sold GreenSky to a Sixth Street-led consortium in early 2024 as part of a strategic retreat from consumer banking.
Other notable acquisitions include NN Investment Partners, a European asset manager acquired in 2022, and NextCapital Group, a digital retirement advice provider. Goldman has also made investments through its Asset Management division in companies like Ally Financial and various technology startups. The firm’s acquisition strategy now focuses primarily on strengthening its core investment banking and wealth management franchises.
Goldman Sachs Competitors
Goldman Sachs competes against major investment banks and financial institutions across investment banking, trading, and asset management. JPMorgan Chase leads the industry with approximately $127 billion in 2023 revenue, compared to Goldman’s $46 billion. Morgan Stanley competes directly in wealth management, now managing over $5 trillion in client assets.
The competitive landscape also includes Capital One Financial in consumer banking and Discover Financial Services in credit card operations, though Goldman primarily focuses on institutional clients and high-net-worth individuals.
| Competitor | Headquarters | Primary Business |
|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan Chase | New York, USA | Investment Banking, Commercial Banking |
| Morgan Stanley | New York, USA | Investment Banking, Wealth Management |
| Bank of America | Charlotte, USA | Commercial Banking, Investment Banking |
| Citigroup | New York, USA | Global Banking, Consumer Banking |
| UBS | Zurich, Switzerland | Wealth Management, Investment Banking |
| Deutsche Bank | Frankfurt, Germany | Investment Banking, Asset Management |
| Barclays | London, UK | Investment Banking, Consumer Banking |
| Credit Suisse (now UBS) | Zurich, Switzerland | Investment Banking, Private Banking |
| BNP Paribas | Paris, France | Commercial Banking, Investment Banking |
| HSBC | London, UK | Commercial Banking, Wealth Management |
FAQs
When was Goldman Sachs founded?
Marcus Goldman founded Goldman Sachs in 1869 in New York City. Samuel Sachs joined in 1882, and the firm adopted its current name in 1885.
Who is the current CEO of Goldman Sachs?
David Solomon serves as Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs. He assumed the role in October 2018, succeeding Lloyd Blankfein.
When did Goldman Sachs go public?
Goldman Sachs went public through an IPO in May 1999. The firm traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol GS at an initial offering price of $53 per share.
What is Goldman Sachs market cap?
Goldman Sachs has a market capitalization of approximately $284 billion as of February 2026. The valuation fluctuates with stock price movements.
How many employees does Goldman Sachs have?
Goldman Sachs employs approximately 46,500 people worldwide as of December 2024. The workforce increased 2.65% from the previous year.
