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Global 500
Our annual ranking of the world's largest corporations
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Full List
By Location
CEOs
Top Companies
Top Industries
All
companies
All
industries
Top industries: Most profitable
Return on Revenues
Return on Assets
Industry rank
Industry
2008 %
1
Mining, Crude-Oil Production
19.8
2
Pharmaceuticals
19.1
3
Tobacco
12.3
4
Food Consumer Products
11.9
5
Household and Personal Products
9.9
6
Telecommunications
7.5
7
Industrial Machinery
7.1
8
Building Materials, Glass
6.5
9
Aerospace and Defense
6.2
10
Shipping
6.1
11
Network and Other Communications Equipment
5.4
12
Banks: Commercial and Savings
5.2
13
Beverages
4.2
14
Health Care: Insurance and Managed Care
3.7
15
Metals
3.7
16
Energy
3.5
17
Chemicals
3.2
18
Specialty Retailers
3.1
19
Trading
2.8
20
Mail, Package, and Freight Delivery
2.8
21
Computers, Office Equipment
2.5
22
Food Production
2.3
23
Food and Drug Stores
2.3
24
Insurance: Property and Casualty (Stock)
2.0
25
Engineering, Construction
1.9
26
Petroleum Refining
1.9
27
General Merchandisers
1.7
28
Insurance: Life, Health (stock)
1.1
29
Utilities
1.1
30
Entertainment
1.0
31
Electronics, Electrical Equip.
0.9
32
Motor Vehicles and Parts
0.7
33
Wholesalers: Health Care
0.4
34
Diversified Financials
-1.1
35
Airlines
-6.1
From the July 20, 2009 issue
Top 50
Headquarters
Show:
Top 50
|
25 Most Profitable
|
Global 500
What Readers Say
They speak out on Exxon Mobil and other Global 500 companies...
Why isn't Tognum Ag on the list?
it is Petroleum Sector the most needful and profitable
"Your opinion would hold more weight if they still taught English in...
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High revenue growth
High profit growth
Based in Asia
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Top 5 in its industry
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Download the Global 500
(How this tool works)
Top 3
COUNTRIES
BIGGEST
EMPLOYERS
MOST
PROFITABLE
Rank
# of Global 500 Companies
U.S.
140
Japan
68
France
40
See the rest
Company
2008 Number of Employees
Wal-Mart Stores
2,100,000
China National Petroleum
1,618,393
State Grid
1,537,000
See the rest
Company
2008 Profits
($ millions)
Exxon Mobil
$45,220
Gazprom
$29,864
Royal Dutch Shell
$26,277
See the rest
FAQ and methodology
All companies on the list must publish financial data and report part or all of their figures to a government agency. In the U.S., private companies and cooperatives...
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