The Big Three definition

The Big Three is a common term to refer to the most prominent, profitable, noteworthy or controversial entities in a given sphere or industry.

• The Big Three credit rating agencies are Fitch Group, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s.
• The Big Three management consultancies are McKinsey, Bain & Company and Boston Consulting Group.
• The Big Three automobile manufacturers are General Motors, Ford and Chrysler in the United States and Canada, and Toyota, Nissan and Honda in Japan.

The term can be compared to other monikers to describe powerful entities in a given sphere, such as the Big One and the Big Four, the latter of which is typically used to refer to the world’s largest professional services firms. In the law industry, the term Magic Circle is used to describe the most powerful law firms in London.