America is the world’s biggest buyer. In 2025, the United States brought in roughly $3.4 trillion worth of goods, the highest yearly figure on record, with computers and telecom equipment, consumer products, vehicles, and industrial supplies leading the way. A small group of large companies is behind a big share of those shipments.

Some of these companies have been importing for decades to stock their stores. Others grew into major importers more recently on the back of online shopping and global electronics supply chains.

In this article, we’ll discuss the top 10 import companies in the United States, based on their history, ownership, and the kind of products they bring in from abroad.

Quick Comparison

Rank	Company	Founded	Owner / Founders	US Headquarters	Core Import Focus
1	Walmart	1962	Founded by Sam Walton; publicly listed, led by CEO John Furner	Bentonville, Arkansas	Consumer Goods, Apparel & Groceries
2	The Home Depot	1978	Founded by Bernie Marcus & Arthur Blank; publicly listed, led by Chair & CEO Ted Decker	Atlanta, Georgia	Building Materials, Tools & Home Products
3	Target	1902 (Target stores 1962)	Publicly listed; led by CEO Michael Fiddelke	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Apparel, Home Goods & Electronics
4	LG Electronics USA	1958 (parent company)	US subsidiary of South Korea’s LG Electronics; led by CEO Don Kwack	Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey	TVs, Appliances & Air Solutions
5	Lowe’s	1921	Publicly listed; led by Chairman & CEO Marvin Ellison	Mooresville, North Carolina	Building Materials, Appliances & Tools
6	Amazon	1994	Founded by Jeff Bezos; publicly listed, led by CEO Andy Jassy	Seattle, Washington	Electronics & General Merchandise
7	Ashley Furniture	1945	Privately held, owned by the Wanek family; led by CEO Todd Wanek	Arcadia, Wisconsin	Furniture & Home Furnishings
8	Samsung Electronics America	1977	US subsidiary of South Korea’s Samsung Electronics; led by CEO Yoonie Joung (North America)	Bergen County, New Jersey	Smartphones, TVs & Appliances
9	Dollar Tree	1986	Publicly listed; led by CEO Mike Creedon	Chesapeake, Virginia	Discount Variety Merchandise
10	Costco	1983	Founded by Jim Sinegal & Jeffrey Brotman; publicly listed, led by CEO Ron Vachris	Issaquah, Washington	Household Goods, Electronics & Food

Walmart – America’s Biggest Importer

Image Courtesy: Walmart (Official Website)

• Founded: 1962 
• Owner: Founded by Sam Walton; publicly listed, led by President & CEO John Furner 
• Headquarters: Bentonville, Arkansas

Sam Walton opened the first Walmart in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962. It grew from a small-town discount store into the largest retailer in the world, and the Walton family remains its biggest shareholder.

Walmart is consistently ranked first among US importers by container volume, with an estimated 960,000 TEUs in 2024, nearly double the next company on the list. Much of that is clothing, toys, electronics, and household goods sourced from Asia and Latin America. John Furner became CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Doug McMillon.

What Walmart does: Operates supercenters, discount stores, warehouse clubs, and e-commerce

Services: Groceries, general merchandise, pharmacy, online shopping, and membership clubs

The Home Depot – Building the Nation with Imported Goods

Image Courtesy: The Home Depot (Official Website)

• Founded: 1978 
• Owner: Founded by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank; publicly listed, led by Chair, President & CEO Ted Decker 
• Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia

The Home Depot opened its first stores in Georgia in 1979 and became the largest home improvement retailer in the country. Its huge range of tools, hardware, flooring, and garden products depends heavily on overseas suppliers.

Estimates put The Home Depot at around 516,000 TEUs in 2024, the second-highest of any US importer. Ted Decker has been CEO since 2022. In August 2026, the company announced he was taking a temporary medical leave, with senior executives managing operations in the meantime.

What The Home Depot does: Sells home improvement products and services to homeowners and professional contractors

Services: Tools, building materials, appliances, garden supplies, and installation services

Target – Style and Value, Shipped from Overseas

Image Courtesy:Target (Official Website)

• Founded: 1902 (first Target store opened in 1962) 
• Owner: Publicly listed; led by CEO Michael Fiddelke 
• Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Target‘s roots go back to the Goodfellow Dry Goods store in Minneapolis in 1902, and the first Target discount store opened in 1962. It built its brand on affordable, stylish products and exclusive house labels.

Target is a top-three US importer, with an estimated 420,000 TEUs in 2024, bringing in apparel, home furnishings, electronics, and packaged goods. Michael Fiddelke, a 20-year Target veteran, became CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Brian Cornell, who moved to executive chair.

What Target does: Runs general merchandise stores and an online shopping business

Services: Apparel, home goods, beauty, groceries, electronics, and same-day delivery

LG Electronics USA – Appliances and Screens from Asia

Image Courtesy: LG Electronics USA (Official Website)

• Founded: 1958 (parent company, LG Electronics) 
• Owner: US subsidiary of South Korea’s LG Electronics; led by President & CEO Don Kwack 
• Headquarters: Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

LG Electronics USA is the North American arm of the South Korean electronics giant. It sells TVs, refrigerators, washers, air conditioners, and commercial displays to American households and businesses.

Unlike most companies on this list, LG is a manufacturer rather than a retailer, but it ships so many finished products into US ports that it ranked fourth among importers in 2024, at roughly 309,000 TEUs. Don Kwack was named President and CEO of LG Electronics North America in January 2026.

What LG Electronics USA does: Imports and sells consumer electronics, home appliances, and air solutions

Services: TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioning systems, and commercial displays

Lowe’s – The Second Giant of Home Improvement

Image Courtesy: Lowe’s (Official Website)

• Founded: 1921 
• Owner: Publicly listed; led by Chairman & CEO Marvin Ellison 
• Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina

Lowe‘s began in 1921 as a small hardware store in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and grew into the second-largest home improvement chain in the country, with more than 1,750 stores.

The company imports large amounts of tools, appliances, lighting, flooring, and seasonal products, ranking fifth among US importers with about 254,000 TEUs in 2024. Marvin Ellison has led Lowe’s as CEO since 2018 and as chairman since 2021.

What Lowe’s does: Sells home improvement products and services to homeowners and professionals

Services: Appliances, tools, building supplies, paint, and installation services

Amazon – E-Commerce Built on Global Supply Chains

Image Courtesy: Amazon (Official Website)

• Founded: 1994 
• Owner: Founded by Jeff Bezos; publicly listed, led by President & CEO Andy Jassy 
• Headquarters: Seattle, Washington

Jeff Bezos started Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore. It has since become the largest online retailer in the world, with major cloud computing and advertising businesses.

Amazon ranked sixth among US importers in 2024, at around 250,000 TEUs. That is lower than some store-based rivals because a large share of its sales come from third-party sellers who handle their own shipments. Andy Jassy has been CEO since 2021.

What Amazon does: Runs online marketplaces, cloud computing, streaming, and logistics

Services: Online retail, Prime membership, Amazon Web Services, and fulfillment services

Ashley Furniture – A Family Business Importing Home Furnishings

Image Courtesy: Ashley Furniture (Official Website)

• Founded: 1945 
• Owner: Privately held, owned by the Wanek family; led by President & CEO Todd Wanek 
• Headquarters: Arcadia, Wisconsin

Ashley took its current form in 1982, when Arcadia Furniture and Ashley Furniture merged into one company. Ron Wanek built it into the world’s largest furniture manufacturer, and his son Todd Wanek has been CEO since 2002.

Even though Ashley runs factories in the United States, it has imported furniture from Asia since the 1980s. It placed seventh among US importers in 2024, with about 207,000 TEUs, and it sells through hundreds of Ashley HomeStore locations.

What Ashley Furniture does: Designs, makes, imports, and sells furniture and home furnishings

Services: Living room, bedroom, and dining furniture, mattresses, and outdoor furniture

Samsung Electronics America – Smartphones and Screens Across the Ocean

Image Courtesy: Samsung Electronics America (Official Website)

• Founded: 1977 
• Owner: US subsidiary of South Korea’s Samsung Electronics; North America led by President & CEO Yoonie Joung 
• Headquarters: Bergen County, New Jersey

Samsung Electronics America was established in 1977 as the US sales arm of the Korean electronics maker. It sells smartphones, TVs, home appliances, and other devices across the country. Samsung is consistently among the largest container importers on the East Coast. 

Most of its products are made in Asia and shipped to American ports before reaching retailers and customers. The company has been moving its headquarters from Ridgefield Park to Englewood Cliffs.

What Samsung Electronics America does: Imports and markets consumer electronics, mobile devices, and appliances

Services: Smartphones, TVs, refrigerators, washers, and smart home products

Dollar Tree – Low Prices, Global Sourcing

Image Courtesy: Dollar Tree (Official Website)

• Founded: 1986 
• Owner: Publicly listed; led by CEO Mike Creedon 
• Headquarters: Chesapeake, Virginia

Dollar Tree started in 1986 as a single-price variety store concept. It now operates more than 9,000 stores across the United States and Canada after selling its Family Dollar business in 2025.

The chain depends on imported merchandise to keep prices low, including party supplies, seasonal items, toys, and household goods. Mike Creedon became interim CEO in November 2024 and was named permanent CEO the following month.

What Dollar Tree does: Runs discount variety stores

Services: Household goods, snacks, seasonal items, party supplies, and cleaning products

Costco – Warehouse Club with a Global Supply Chain

Image Courtesy: Costco (Official Website)

• Founded: 1983 
• Owner: Founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman; publicly listed, led by CEO Ron Vachris 
• Headquarters: Issaquah, Washington

The first Costco warehouse opened in Seattle in 1983. It sells bulk goods to paying members and has grown into one of the largest retailers in the world, including its Kirkland Signature private label.

Costco imports a wide range of household goods, electronics, apparel, and packaged foods from suppliers around the world. Its high-volume, limited-selection model means it moves large quantities of each product through US ports. Ron Vachris became CEO in 2024.

What Costco does: Operates membership-based warehouse clubs. 

Services: Groceries, electronics, household goods, gas, travel, and pharmacy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which company is considered the largest importer in the United States? 

Walmart is usually ranked first, thanks to the huge volume of goods it brings in for its stores and online business. The US government does not publish an official ranking of companies, so lists vary by source.

How much does the United States import every year? 

In 2025, US imports of goods reached about $3.4 trillion, the highest on record. Including services, total imports came to roughly $4.3 trillion.

What are the biggest import categories for the United States? 

Capital goods such as computers and telecom equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, and industrial supplies make up the largest share of US goods imports.

Which countries send the most goods to the United States? 

Mexico, China, and Canada are among the biggest sources. In 2025, the trade deficit with Mexico, Vietnam, and Taiwan each hit a record, while US imports from China fell by about 30 percent.

What does TEU mean? 

TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit, the standard measure of shipping container volume. A standard 40-foot container counts as two TEUs.

Which importer on this list is privately owned? 

Ashley Furniture is privately held and owned by the Wanek family.

Are LG and Samsung American companies? 

Their US operations are subsidiaries of South Korean parent companies, but they are based in the United States and count among the country’s largest importers.

Who is the CEO of Walmart now? 

John Furner became Walmart’s President and CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Doug McMillon.

How have tariffs affected US importers? 

Tariffs introduced in 2025 pushed many companies to stockpile goods early and shift sourcing toward countries with lower tariff rates, such as Vietnam, Mexico, and Taiwan.

Why do these ten companies matter to everyday people? 

They stock the shelves and online stores where millions of Americans buy clothing, furniture, electronics, tools, and groceries, and they employ hundreds of thousands of workers.

Conclusion

America’s import economy is as varied as its consumer market. Megastores like Walmart, Target, and Costco bring the daily necessities, while Home Depot and Lowe’s have building supplies. Amazon has an online section, Ashley Furniture delivers furniture to homes, Dollar Tree helps to save money and LG and Samsung provide electronics and home appliances made in Asia.

With record-breaking imports in 2025 and a changing tariff policy, these ten companies will continue to affect the US consumer market and inform which products and from where should be imported to meet the needs of American consumers.