What Are the 5 Largest NYSE Companies Based in Orlando, Florida?
Published by OrlandoBusinessNews.com | By Brian French
Quick Answer: The five largest NYSE-listed companies headquartered in the Orlando, Florida area are Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI), Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC), Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE: TNL), United Parks & Resorts (NYSE: PRKS), and NNN REIT (NYSE: NNN). Together, these public companies employ tens of thousands of Central Floridians, anchor billions of dollars in regional economic activity, and prove that Orlando is far more than a tourism town — it is a genuine corporate headquarters city.
Why Does Orlando Have So Many Major Public Companies?
Orlando’s combination of no state income tax, a massive hospitality talent pool, a top-tier international airport, and one of the fastest-growing metro populations in America has made it a magnet for corporate headquarters — especially in dining, vacation ownership, hospitality, and real estate. The result is a cluster of NYSE-listed giants that call Central Florida home.
Below are the five largest, ranked broadly by revenue, with a look at what each company does, a notable 2026 development, and what it means for the Orlando-area economy.
1. Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI)
Headquarters: Orlando, FL | Sector: Full-Service Dining
Darden is the largest full-service restaurant company in the world and Orlando’s flagship Fortune 500 corporation. Its brand portfolio includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze, and Eddie V’s — more than 2,000 restaurants generating over $11 billion in annual revenue.
2026 Update: Darden has continued expanding its delivery partnership strategy across Olive Garden and LongHorn while integrating Chuy’s, the Tex-Mex chain it acquired in 2024, into its portfolio — extending a multi-year streak of same-restaurant sales growth that has kept DRI a favorite among dividend investors.
Orlando-Area Impact: Darden’s Restaurant Support Center campus in south Orlando houses roughly 1,000+ corporate employees, with thousands more working in its Central Florida restaurant locations. As a Fortune 500 headquarters, Darden generates hundreds of millions of dollars annually in regional wages, vendor contracts, and philanthropic investment, including the Darden Foundation’s long-standing support of Central Florida nonprofits.
2. Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC)
Headquarters: Orlando, FL | Sector: Vacation Ownership
Spun off from Marriott International in 2011, Marriott Vacations Worldwide is one of the largest vacation ownership companies on earth. It develops, markets, and manages timeshare and vacation club brands including Marriott Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, Westin Vacation Club, and Hyatt Vacation Club, with approximately 120 resorts and roughly 700,000 owner families worldwide, producing nearly $5 billion in annual revenue.
2026 Update: The company has pressed forward with its multi-year modernization and cost-efficiency program while continuing the rollout of its combined Abound by Marriott Vacations owner platform — and expanding its footprint in high-demand leisure markets, including new Central Florida inventory.
Orlando-Area Impact: Marriott Vacations employs several thousand people across Central Florida between its corporate headquarters, sales operations, call centers, and its cluster of large Orlando-area resorts near the theme park corridor. The company ranks among Orlando’s largest private employers, contributing an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars annually in payroll and local spending.
3. Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE: TNL)
Headquarters: Orlando, FL | Sector: Vacation Ownership & Travel Membership
Formerly Wyndham Destinations, Travel + Leisure Co. is the world’s leading membership and leisure travel company. It operates Club Wyndham, WorldMark by Wyndham, Margaritaville Vacation Club, Accor Vacation Club, and the Travel + Leisure GO membership platform, serving millions of vacationers with annual revenue near $4 billion.
2026 Update: Travel + Leisure has continued scaling its newer branded clubs — including the Margaritaville and Sports Illustrated Resorts concepts — as it broadens beyond traditional timeshare into lifestyle-branded vacation products aimed at younger buyers.
Orlando-Area Impact: With its headquarters tower prominently anchoring Orlando’s tourism corridor, Travel + Leisure employs thousands of Central Floridians in corporate, technology, marketing, and resort operations roles. Its headquarters presence, resort portfolio, and visitor spending funnel a substantial nine-figure economic contribution into the region each year.
4. United Parks & Resorts (NYSE: PRKS)
Headquarters: Orlando, FL | Sector: Theme Parks & Entertainment
United Parks & Resorts — the parent of SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, Sesame Place, and Water Country USA — operates 13 parks across the United States and licenses SeaWorld internationally, generating approximately $1.7 billion in annual revenue.
2026 Update: The company has leaned into its aggressive annual new-attraction strategy, opening new rides and events across its parks — including continued investment in its flagship Orlando properties — while pursuing international licensing expansion following the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi model.
Orlando-Area Impact: Between its corporate headquarters and its three Orlando parks — SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove — United Parks is one of Central Florida’s most significant employers, with thousands of local employees ranging from corporate staff to zoological experts. Its parks draw millions of visitors annually, driving hotel stays, dining, and tax revenue that ripple across the regional economy.
5. NNN REIT (NYSE: NNN)
Headquarters: Orlando, FL | Sector: Net-Lease Real Estate
Formerly National Retail Properties, NNN REIT is one of the nation’s premier triple-net-lease real estate investment trusts, owning approximately 3,600 single-tenant retail properties across 49 states, leased to convenience stores, restaurants, automotive service chains, and other necessity retailers. NNN is a member of the S&P 500 and one of the most respected dividend payers on the NYSE.
2026 Update: NNN extended one of the most remarkable streaks in public markets — more than 35 consecutive years of annual dividend increases, a feat achieved by only a tiny handful of REITs — while continuing disciplined acquisitions of net-lease retail properties in growth markets, including Florida.
Orlando-Area Impact: As a REIT, NNN runs lean, with a corporate headquarters staff of a few hundred high-paying professional positions in downtown Orlando — finance, legal, underwriting, and asset management roles that strengthen the city’s white-collar employment base. Its headquarters presence also anchors Orlando’s growing reputation as a financial and real estate capital markets hub in the Southeast.
How Much Do These Companies Mean to the Orlando Economy?
Collectively, these five NYSE companies represent roughly $20+ billion in combined annual revenue, directly employ well over 15,000 people in Central Florida, and support tens of thousands of additional indirect jobs through vendors, construction, tourism, and professional services. Their headquarters payrolls alone inject an estimated $1 billion or more into the regional economy every year — before counting the visitor spending their resorts and parks attract.
Key Takeaways
- Orlando is a headquarters city, home to five major NYSE-listed corporations spanning dining, vacation ownership, entertainment, and real estate.
- Darden Restaurants is the region’s corporate crown jewel, a Fortune 500 leader and the world’s largest full-service dining company.
- Vacation ownership is an Orlando-dominated industry, with two of its global giants — Marriott Vacations Worldwide and Travel + Leisure Co. — both headquartered in the City Beautiful.
- These five companies employ 15,000+ Central Floridians and generate more than a billion dollars in annual regional economic impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest public company headquartered in Orlando? Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI), with more than $11 billion in annual revenue and over 2,000 restaurants worldwide, is Orlando’s largest NYSE-listed company and a Fortune 500 member.
Are Disney and Universal based in Orlando? No. While both operate massive Orlando resorts, The Walt Disney Company is headquartered in Burbank, California, and Universal’s parent, Comcast, is headquartered in Philadelphia. That’s why they don’t appear on a list of Orlando-headquartered companies.
Why are so many timeshare companies based in Orlando? Orlando is the vacation ownership capital of the world. The world’s largest tourism market, deep hospitality talent, and decades of resort development made it the natural headquarters for Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Travel + Leisure Co., and many private operators like Westgate Resorts.
How many people do these companies employ in Central Florida? Combined, these five firms directly employ well over 15,000 people in the Orlando area across corporate offices, resorts, parks, and restaurants, with thousands of additional indirect jobs supported throughout the region.
About the Author
Brian French is a Florida-based financial writer and former institutional investment manager and bank officer. Over his career in the financial services industry, Brian held positions with Merrill Lynch, SunTrust, and SouthTrust Banks, where he worked with institutional portfolios, corporate clients, and private investors across the state of Florida. His decades of firsthand experience in banking and investment management inform his coverage of Florida’s public companies, capital markets, and regional economy. Brian writes about the Florida business landscape with a focus on the corporations, industries, and leaders driving the state’s growth.
