Fact check: Which industries see the highest rate of international companies leaving the US?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, there is limited specific data about which industries see the highest rate of international companies leaving the US. The sources reveal several distinct patterns:

Manufacturing and Consumer Goods: Multiple iconic American companies have relocated operations abroad, including Tupperware, Burger King, Budweiser, Firestone, Ben & Jerry's, 7-Eleven, Smithfield Foods, IBM's PC business, AMC Theatres, General Electric appliances, Trader Joe's, Holiday Inn, Hoover, and Sunglass Hut ^[1]. Additionally, 30% of US companies in China are accelerating plans to relocate manufacturing or sourcing as of 2024 ^[2].

Technology Sector: There's evidence of a corporate exodus from Delaware, with major tech companies like Meta and Dropbox considering departure due to changing legal environments ^[3]. This represents a shift in corporate domicile rather than international relocation, but indicates broader corporate mobility trends ^{[4] [5]}.

Financial Services: The financial sector shows signs of international capital flight, with US banks losing 8% in the last month while European equivalents jumped 15%, suggesting investor preference shifts away from US financial markets ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question assumes a significant exodus of international companies from the US, but the analyses reveal important nuances missing from this framing:

Domestic vs. International Movement: Much of the corporate movement involves American companies relocating abroad rather than international companies leaving the US ^[1]. This represents a fundamentally different economic phenomenon.

Jurisdictional Competition: The Delaware exodus represents domestic jurisdictional competition rather than international departure, with companies moving to Nevada, Texas, and Ohio for more favorable legal environments ^{[4] [3]}.

Investment vs. Operations: The sources distinguish between operational relocation and investment flows. While some companies relocate operations, the data also shows foreign investors becoming skittish about US market exposure due to tariffs and trade policies ^{[7] [8]}.

Trade War Impact: Five major US companies are reportedly planning to exit the US market entirely due to ongoing trade war pressures ^[9], suggesting geopolitical factors drive some departures.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains implicit assumptions that may not reflect reality:

Assumption of High Exodus Rates: The question presupposes that there are measurably "high rates" of international companies leaving the US across various industries, but none of the sources provide comprehensive industry-specific data to support this premise.

Conflation of Different Phenomena: The available data suggests the question may conflate several distinct trends: American companies moving abroad, foreign investment withdrawal, domestic jurisdictional changes, and actual international company departures.

Lack of Comparative Context: The sources don't provide baseline data or historical comparisons to determine whether current corporate movement rates are unusually high or represent normal business cycles.

Missing Beneficiaries: The question doesn't acknowledge who might benefit from narratives about corporate exodus, such as competing jurisdictions like Texas, Nevada, and Ohio that gain from Delaware's corporate departures ^[4], or European financial markets that benefit from US market skepticism ^[6].