Global energy companies now dominate the list of top ten companies list based on their market capitalization as of March 27, 2009.
The Top Companies Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE):
| Company | Ticker | Market Cap (in Billions $) |
|---|---|---|
| Exxon Mobile Corp. | XOM | 346.5 |
| Wal-Mart Stores Inc | WMT | 206.8 |
| China Mobile Ltd. | CHL | 180.6 |
| PetroChina Company Ltd | PTR | 155.5 |
| AT&T Inc | T | 153.2 |
| Johnson&Johnson Inc | JNJ | 146.2 |
| Royal Dutch Shell plc | RDS.A | 143.6 |
| Petroleo Brasileiro SA | PBR | 142.6 |
| The Proctor&Gamble Co. | PG | 142.4 |
| Chevron Corp. | CVX | 138.1 |
Now in chart form:
click to enlarge
Note: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A) at $138.8B may have been listed at number 10. But it has been left out since Berkshire is a unique company and specializes in varied sectors.
Financials such as Citibank (C), Bank of America (BAC) and industrials such GE used to be the largest companies. Due to the current credit crunch, these companies have been replaced by both foreign, energy and personal goods companies.
In the top 10 list shown above, half of the listed companies are oil companies. Even with the price of crude falling to much lower levels than the $140 we saw last year, the global companies still command a huge premium and have seen their shares rise year over year in the past 5 years. Exxon Mobil’s nearest competitor in terms of market cap size is Wal-Mart but it's not even close. While companies such as Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron are to be expected in the top 10 list, new entrants such as PetroChina of China (PTR) and Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR) of Brazil are growing much faster than the well-established giants. The presence of these energy companies at the top shows their importance for the global economy and the potential for future growth. PTR and PBR also show the growing influence of emerging market firms.
US firms such as AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, P&G and Wal-Mart are perennial favorites among many investors. In the past few years, P&G has had a lower market cap. However in recent times the rush to safety sectors has helped maintain P&G’s stock at relatively higher levels. AT&T is emerging as a strong player in the telecom field. Wal-Mart will continue to be in the top for the foreseeable future since cash-strapped consumers prefer Wal-Mart stores over other 'brand-name' stores.
