Scores based on their rankings for sales, profits, assets and market value. General Electric ended HSBC Holdings’ one-year reign as the world’s largest company. Here are the 25 biggest companies in the world.

No. 1: General Electric
Industry: Conglomerate, U.S.





Ranked second last year, General Electric is now the world’s largest company, based on its composite score for sales, profits, assets and market value.

No. 2: Royal Dutch Shell
Industry: Oil and gas operations, U.K.





Its $458 billion in revenues puts this integrated petroleum company in first place in sales and second in our Global 2000 composite ranking based on sales, profits, assets and market value.

No. 3: Toyota Motor
Industry: Consumer Durables, Japan



Japan’s Toyota Motor, with a market capital of $102 billion, is the world’s highest-ranked auto company on the Global 2000.

No. 4: ExxonMobil
Industry: Oil and gas operations,U.S.



Despite record profits of $45.2 billion at ExxonMobil, the U.S. company slipped behind Royal Dutch Shell in its overall Global 2000 ranking. The reason: Royal Dutch ranked higher in both revenues and assets.

No. 5: BP
Industry: Oil and gas operations, U.K.



This U.K. petroleum giant is in fifth place worldwide for profits as well as its Global 2000 composite ranking

No. 6: HSBC Holdings
Industry: Banking,U.K.



After a one-year reign at the head of the Global 2000, this international banking giant fell back to the sixth position.

No. 7: AT&T
Industry: Telecom services, U.S.



Last year, AT&T scored a 7.7% increase in profits on only a 4.3% gain in revenues

No. 8: Wal-Mart Stores
Industry: Retailing, U.S.





The economic downturn worked in favor of the world’s largest retailer, which climbed from 16th last year to the eighth this year on its Global 2000 ranking.

No. 9: Banco Santander
Industry: Banking, Spain banco santander




Its acquisition of Alliance and Leicester of the U.K. helped this bank, headquartered in Madrid, shoot up in rank on the Global 2000.

No. 10 : Chevron
Industry: Oil and gas operations,U.S.






This U.S. integrated oil giant ties with Banco Santander of Spain for ninth place on a composite ranking of sales, profits, assets and market value.