World’s largest companies reach record figures according to Forbes report

The Forbes Global 2000 list, which ranks the world's 2,000 largest companies by revenues, profits, assets and market value, presents historical figures in 2025 that reflect sustained growth in the global economy.

According to the business and finance magazine, combined annual sales reached USD 52.9 trillion, up from USD 42.3 trillion in 2020, while global profits grew to USD 4.9 trillion, more than three times higher than two decades ago.

Total asset value stood at USD 242.2 trillion, and cumulative market capitalization reached USD 91.3 trillion, up significantly from USD 54.3 trillion in 2020.

These data, published by Forbes, show how globalization and corporate consolidation have transformed the world economic landscape over the last twenty years.

The United States, leader in number and value of companies

The United States remains the country with the highest representation in the ranking, with 612 companies, just below the 621 of the previous year. Among the most famous firms are:

• Walmart, the global leader in sales
• Alphabet, the most profitable
• Apple, with the highest stock market value at the end of April 2025.

Nvidia also reached 47th place, entering the top 100 for the first time, driven by its central role in the development of artificial intelligence solutions.

Although the United States dominates the ranking in terms of number and size of companies, the 100 largest international companies achieved a better performance in the last year, with an average gain of 13.2%, compared to the 10.5% obtained by U.S. firms.

However, looking at cumulative performance over the past decade, U.S. companies remain in the lead, with total growth of 488.3%, well ahead of their international peers, according to Forbes estimates.

Banking and technology: the dominant sectors

The financial sector has the largest presence in the Global 2000. Among the top eight companies, five belong to this sector, led by JPMorgan, which stands out for its revenues, profits, assets and capitalization. Berkshire Hathaway, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Saudi Aramco and Amazon also feature.

In total, 328 banks make up the list, along with 134 diversified financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab and Blackstone, and 117 insurers, according to the sector breakdown published by Forbes. Other sectors with high representation are:

• Construction: 109 companies
• Utilities: 96
• Software and IT services: 94
• Oil and gas: 93
• Materials: 87
• Food, beverages and tobacco: 85
• Transportation: 84

For its part, the technology sector has 186 companies distributed in software, hardware, services and semiconductors. The so-called "Magnificent Seven" (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Nvidia and Tesla) lead the ranking by market value, although with smaller assets compared to the financial sector.

Composition of the global top 5

The top 5 of the list includes a combination of the financial sector, technology and fossil energy:

1) JPMorgan Chase

Headquarters: United States

Sector: Financial services

Activity: Financial intermediation, investment banking, commercial banking, asset management

Sales: US$285.11 billion

Profit: US$59.36 billion

Assets: $4,357,860 million

Market value: US$677.8 billion

2) Berkshire Hathaway

Headquarters: United States

Sector: Financial conglomerate / Insurance / Investments

Activity: Diversified holding company with businesses in insurance (GEICO), energy, railroads, manufacturing, and stock market equities

Sales: US$371.43 billion

Profit: US$89 billion

Assets: US$1,153,880 million

Trade value: US$1,145.46 billion

3) Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)

Headquarters: China

Sector: Financial Services

Activity: Commercial banking, credit, financial intermediation in China and globally

Sales: USD 221,960 million

Profit: USD 50.84 billion

Assets: USD 6,688.6 billion

Trade value: USD 251.33 billion

4) Saudi Aramco

Headquarters: Saudi Arabia

Sector: Energy / Oil and gas

Activity: Production, refining and export of petroleum and petroleum products

Sales: USD 480.15 billion

Profit: USD 104.97 billion

Assets: $645.03 billion

Trade value: USD 1,663.380 million

5) Amazon

Headquarters: United States

Sector: Technology / E-commerce / Cloud services

Business: Global e-commerce, cloud services (AWS), logistics and digital content

Sales: USD 637.96 billion

Revenue: USD 59.25 billion

Assets: USD 624.89 billion

Trade value: USD 2,005.64 billion

Significant rises and falls in the rankings

One of the most significant movements was the rise of Nvidia to 47th place, reflecting the rise of artificial intelligence and the high valuation of chipmakers.

Disney (71st) and Pfizer (73rd) also returned to the top 100 after improving their financial results. In the case of Pfizer, its market capitalization is still 60% below the peak reached at the end of 2021.

In the opposite direction, BP fell 374 positions to 421st place, due to a drop in profits caused by the fall in oil prices and technical stoppages at refineries. Intel, meanwhile, dropped from 107th to 488th place after reporting net losses of USD 19 billion in the last twelve months.

Sector structure and economic influence

Of the 100 companies with the most assets, 88 belong to the financial sector, which reinforces their global influence and ability to accumulate resources. Their profitability was driven by high net interest margins in a context of high interest rates.

The technology sector, on the other hand, dominates in market value and profits, leveraged by its capacity for innovation and digital expansion.

Forbes' analysis reaffirmed the leadership of the United States and China as business drivers, and the consolidation of banking and technology as pillars of the global economy. The record figures for 2025 reveal a corporate dynamism that continues to set the course for global growth.