9. Agricultural Bank of China
2008 sales: $48 billion
U.S. - China trade tenses upAs the name implies, Agricultural Bank of China has focused on lending in the country's rural districts. It's the fourth largest of China's state-owned Big Four banks -- boasting some 350 million customers and 24,000 branches.
Investors are buzzing over an IPO, but AgBank remains the only big state-owned bank yet to list shares publicly.
AgBank was in terrible shape in just two years ago before a $30 billion government bailout. Loan losses remain double the rate of the other Big Four and expenses for its massive branch network in rural areas have crimped earnings.
NEXT: Sinochem
