The world's most valuable companies
Daniel Coughlin
05 October 2018
Top 30 global firms' worth
The race to become the world's first trillion-dollar company was won in August, and since then yet another powerhouse firm has (briefly) attained the epic financial milestone. Based on market cap data as of 17 September, we rank the world's 30 most valuable companies and reveal the two tech titans next in line to hit the coveted $1 trillion (£760.19bn) mark. Unless otherwise stated, all market cap data is courtesy of YCharts.
30. Roche: $209.65 billion (£159.53bn)
The first of two Swiss companies to make the top 30, pharmaceutical giant Roche reported sales in excess of $55 billion (£41.9bn) for 2017. Shares in the company dipped in June following the publication of a disappointing cancer trial, but have recently bounced back, boosting the firm's market value of $209.65 billion (£159.53bn).
29. Procter & Gamble: $209.71 billion (£159.67bn)
Next up is Procter & Gamble with a market cap of $209.71 billion (£159.67bn). The Ohio-headquartered firm controls a slew of best-selling global brands from Ariel to Olay, though sluggish sales have impacted the company's share price, which is down almost 10% compared to 17 September 2017. As a consequence, P&G has lost some of its perceived value.
28. Cisco Systems: $215.36 billion (£163.85bn)
Cisco Systems stock has been on fire all year with the Silicon Valley company's share price skyrocketing since January. Still, the current market cap is dwarfed by the tech firm's peak valuation of $555.60 billion (£422.59bn) at the height of the dotcom bubble in 2000, which made it the most valuable enterprise in the world for a time.
27. Mastercard: $224.79 billion (£170.77bn)
Likewise, the Mastercard share price has been up on a sharp upward trajectory this year. The New York-based payments company has reported bumper earnings so far in 2018, fuelling the stock market rally. Needless to say, the current market cap of $224.79 billion (£170.77bn) is a record for the firm.
26. Chevron: $225.17 billion (£171.04bn)
Rising commodity prices have done wonders for Chevron's market cap which, along with its share price, tanked big-time in 2015. Since those difficult days, the stock price has more or less recovered, and the Californian company's market cap is a healthy $225.17 billion (£171.04bn) at the time of writing.
25. Verizon Communications: $226.02 billion (£171.67bn)
Verizon Communications has enjoyed especially strong earnings growth this year and the US multinational telecoms firm has seen its share price surge since June. As a result, Verizon's market cap has climbed to an impressive $226.02 billion (£171.67bn), which is a record figure for the company.
24. Taiwan Semiconductor: $226.94 billion (£172.45bn)
The world's largest chip manufacturer, Taiwan Semiconductor has been cleaning up off the back of the cryptocurrency boom – the Hsinchu-headquartered company makes 55% of the world's microchips. By virtue of the likes of Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum, Taiwan Semiconductor is now worth $226.94 billion (£172.45bn).
23. Home Depot: $238.44 billion (£181.18bn)
One of just two traditional retailers in the top 30, booming Home Depot has been on a roll all year. The Georgia-based chain's stock price has never been higher, with trading at the time of writing at a record-breaking $209.70 (£159.34). This has translated into a best-ever market cap of $238.44 billion (£181.18bn).
22. AT&T: $244.15 billion (£185.59bn)
In contrast to competing telecoms firm Verizon Communications, AT&T has had a disappointing year to date on the stock market amid lacklustre financial results and uncertainty over its mega-merger with Time Warner. This has affected the Texan firm's market value, which peaked last year. Nevertheless AT&T is currently worth a not-too-shabby $244.15 billion (£185.59bn).
21. ICBC: $245.74 billion (£186.76bn)
China's ICBC was the world's most valuable bank at the start of the year. Since January however, the financial institution has fallen on hard times as the trade war between the US and China has intensified. Like other major companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, its share price has plummeted, along with its market cap.
20. Nestlé: $251.83 billion (£191.38bn)
The planet's largest food company, Nestlé has a market cap of $251.83 billion (£191.38bn), which is on the rise again following a run of relatively dismal financial results. The Swiss multinational, which produces everything from Kit Kat and Maggi to Nespresso, saw its share price fall markedly during the spring and early summer.
19. Pfizer: $252.13 billion (£191.75bn)
America's Pfizer is now the world's most valuable pharmaceutical company, eclipsing Swiss rival Roche earlier this year. The Connecticut firm's share price has been rising steadily since January, buoyed on by better than expected earnings results and lower tax liabilities in the US, which have pumped up its perceived value.
18. UnitedHealth Group: $253.97 billion (£193.15bn)
The number one health insurer in the world has enjoyed a stellar year so far. Robust earnings growth and super-optimistic financial projections have added significant value to the company in recent months. Right now, the Minnesota firm's market cap is at a near record-breaking $253.97 billion (£193.15bn).
17. Wells Fargo: $261.56 billion (£198.91bn)
The Federal Reserve cracked down on Wells Fargo at the start of the year citing widespread customer abuses, and put a stop to the San Francisco bank growing its assets until improvements are made. This uncompromising action from the Fed has knocked billions off the value of the company.
16. Samsung: $267.96 billion (£203.84bn)
Yahoo Finance has pegged Samsung's current market cap at $267.96 billion (£203.84bn), which is actually down a number of percentage points since the beginning of this year. The culprit? Weaker than anticipated performance in the South Korean conglomerate's flagship smartphone division.
15. Royal Dutch Shell: $277.68 billion (£211.24bn)
As is the case with the other energy companies in the top 30, the market cap of Royal Dutch Shell is inextricably linked to the price of commodities such as oil and gas. At the time of writing, with global prices relatively high, the British-Dutch company is worth a chunky $277.68 billion (£211.24bn).
14. Walmart: $277.70 billion (£211.27bn)
Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue with a competition-busting turnover of $500.34 billion ($380.62bn) in 2017, but only the 14th largest firm in terms of market cap. This is largely due to the Arkansas firm's very narrow profit margins and relatively limited scope for future growth.
13. Bank of America: $302.37 billion (£229.91bn)
Bank of America has surpassed analysts' expectations this year, posting much better than expected financial results. The North Carolina-headquartered bank has also been performing spectacularly on the stock market, delighting investors no end and pushing its market cap up to $302.37 billion (£229.91bn).
12. Visa: $335.15 billion (£254.82bn)
Ditto Visa. The multinational payments company, which is based in California, has been lighting up the stock market of late and is this year's second-best performing stock in the Dow. The credit card firm has reported a succession of better than anticipated earnings, hiking up its market cap and then some.
11. ExxonMobil: $353.14 billion (£268.49bn)
Following a nosedive at the beginning of the year, ExxonMobil shares have been rebounding, though the stock remains pretty volatile, and has some way to go to regain its pre-2015 value. This is reflected in the Texan company's market cap, which is considerably lower than its peak level in 2008.
10. Tencent: $384.98 billion (£292.70bn)
Chinese gaming behemoth Tencent has not experienced the best year so far, and its market cap has been decidedly chipped away. Worsening US-China trade relations coupled with disappointing financials have battered the tech company's share price, which has slipped almost 24% since the beginning of 2018.
9. Johnson & Johnson: $375.48 billion (£285.48bn)
After a mediocre few months, the Johnson & Johnson share price is on the up again, and appears to be returning to near-record levels. The New Jersey company has announced plans to expand its pharmaceutical business, which analysts believe is a shrewd move. At the same time, Johnson & Johnson's market cap has risen to $375.48 billion (£285.48bn).
8. JPMorgan Chase: $382.60 billion (£290.89bn)
JPMorgan Chase stock has been rallying since 2012 and, while the share price has been more volatile this year, it hasn't suffered the sort of drops experienced by Wells Fargo. At the time of writing, the New York-headquartered financial institution has a near-peak market cap of $382.60 billion (£290.89bn).
7. Alibaba: $408.65 billion (£310.70bn)
China's most valuable company and the country's answer to Amazon hit its peak market cap in June, but since then, overall growth has stalled and the China-US trade war has begun to bite. In tandem, Alibaba shares have been falling in price, and are currently trending downwards.
6. Facebook: $463.63 billion (£352.50bn)
Facebook has had an annus horribilis so far with its market cap dropping significantly. The Cambridge Analytica data scandal, slowing growth and tightening regulation in Europe have combined to whip up the perfect storm for the California-based social network. On 26 July, the company's shares plunged by almost 19%, the biggest decline in market cap in history.
5. Berkshire Hathaway: $531 billion (£403.72bn)
The Berkshire Hathaway share price dipped in February from an all-time high of $325,900 (£248,090) and flatlined until July, when it picked up again. The Omaha conglomerate is trading at a near-record $324,575 (£247,092) right now, and like the share price, the company's market cap has grown accordingly.
4. Alphabet: $804.24 billion (£611.31bn)
Google parent company Alphabet hit its peak market cap in July, and while the California-headquartered tech company has been performing less than brilliantly on the stock market since the summer, it's well on the way to bagging that elusive trillion-dollar valuation. The chances of Alphabet beating the next contender though are slim...
3. Microsoft: $859.51 billion (£653.33bn)
Microsoft is comfortably ahead of Alphabet in the race to join the trillion-dollar club. The Redmond, Washington-based tech titan is rocking a record market cap of $859.51 billion (£653.33bn) at the time of writing, and with its share price trending upwards, a valuation of $1 trillion (£760.19bn) is pretty much nailed on for the near future.
2. Amazon: $930.62 billion (£707.38bn)
The e-commerce and cloud computing juggernaut crossed the trillion-dollar market cap mark on 4 September. Since then, the Seattle company's share price has dropped and its market cap is now at $930.62 billion (£707.38bn), but a return to the trillion-dollar club is likely sooner rather than later.
1. Apple: $1.052 trillion (£799.71bn)
Apple wowed analysts and investors alike on 2 August when it became the planet's first trillion-dollar firm off the back of record revenues and a soaring share price. The momentum appears to have slowed this month, but the California-based tech company has stayed in the world's most elite club, with a market cap of $1.052 trillion (£799.71bn) at the time of writing.
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