The
FORBES Global 2000 ranking of largest companies bases the scoring from equal
measures of revenue, profits, assets and market value. The companies that made
the list for 2016 spread out over 63 countries and together total $35 trillion
in revenue, $2.4 trillion in profit, $162 trillion of assets, and have a
combined market value of $44 trillion. Let’s take a look at the top 10 below.
1. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Founded in 1984 in Beijing, China, this is
the largest bank in the world by total assets and market value. It also holds
the number one spot on The Banker’s Top 1000 World Banks. As of 2014 there were
375,354 employees. They have branches in Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Barcelona,
and in 2008 opened a branch in New York City. 
2. China Construction Bank
The number two spot is held by China Construction Bank, founded in 1954, also in Beijing, China. They have 329,338 employees as of 2011. In 2005, Bank of America acquired 9% stake in this bank for US$3 billion. However, by the end of 2013, Bank of America had sold its entire stake in the bank.
3. The Agricultural Bank of China
Founded 65 years ago (1951), in Beijing,
China, the Agricultural Bank of China is one of the “Big Four” banks in the
People’s Republic of China, along with number 1 and 2 on this list. As of 2012
they employed 444,238 people at their nearly 24,000 branches.
4. Berkshire Hathaway
Number four on the list was founded in
1839, 177 years ago, in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The company is known for
Warren Buffett, who is Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive
Officer. Berkshire Hathaway employees 331,000 people as of 2015. The company
started as a textile manufacturing company in 1839, and then ventured into the
insurance world by 1967 when Buffett was in control. The textile operations
were finally shut down in 1985. Today, the company wholly owns man well-known
brands. GEICO, Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds, and 26% of
the Kraft Heinz Company, to name a few. They also have undisclosed percentages
in Mars, Incorporated, American Express, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo and IBM.
5. JPMorgan Chase
The largest bank in the United States, and
the world’s sixth largest by total assets is a bank many of us bank with
regularly. JPMorgan Chase was only founded 15 years ago in 2000. The number of
people employed by the company in 2015 was 235,678. JPMorgan Chase is actually
a combination of several other banks that you have probably heard of over the
years, including Chase Manhattan Bank, JP Morgan and Co, Bank One, Bear Stearns
and Washington Mutual.
6. Bank of China
Founded in 1912 by the Republican
government to replace the Imperial Bank of China, it is the second largest
lender in China. The bank is owned by the government of China and employees
305,675 people. Bank of China has two locations in New York, one on Madison
Avenue, and the other on East Broadway.
7. Wells Fargo
Founded in 1852 in New York City, Wells
Fargo operates in 35 countries and has 8,700 branches. It is the largest bank
in the world by market capitalization and the third largest in the US by
assets. Henry Wells and William Fargo, also the founders of American Express,
formed Wells Fargo & Company to provide banking services to California.
William Fargo was also the Mayor of Buffalo, New York twice from 1862 to 1863
and again from 1864 to 1865.
8. Apple
Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve
Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has become the world’s largest technology
company by total assets. Apple employs 115,000 employees as of 2015 and has 478
stores worldwide. The company had revenue of $233.715 billion in 2015. And, at
the rate this company is going, they are sure to move up on next year’s list.
9. ExxonMobil
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, ExxonMobil
was formed November 30, 1999 by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Both of these companies,
Exxon and Mobil, were directly related to Standard Oil who was established by
John De. Rockefeller. In 1998, when the new company was formed by signing a
$73.7 billion merger, they were the largest oil company and the third largest
company in the world. Now they are the ninth largest company and still hold the
title of largest oil company.
10. Toyota Motor
Toyota Motor Corporation was founded in
Japan in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda. Toyota is the world’s leading manufacturer of
hybrid electric cars. In 2015, the total revenue for Toyota was ¥29.79 trillion
and 346,219 employees. Toyota is not only a car manufacturer. They also build
robots and provide financial services through its Toyota Financial Services division.
Today, Akio Toyoda is the CEO of Toyota Motor Company, a direct descendent of
the founder Kiichiro.
