Beyond Apple, The 9 Most Valuable Companies In History
#4 Saudi Aramco in 2012
Value today: U.S. $3.6 trillion
Adjusted to 2012: $3.6 trillion
It turns out that one of the world’s most valuable company is not even listed on a stock exchange. Saudi Aramco or officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company owns the world’s largest oil field. The company manages over 100 oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia. Presently, the company tops all the largest lists in the world. It is estimated to worth $781 billion in 2005 and according to the present estimation by University of Texas finance professor Sheridan Titman, it is worth $3.6 trillion.
Related: World's 20 Most Valuable Private Tech Companies
#3 The South Sea Company in 1720
Value then: 200 Million British Pound
Adjusted to 2012: $4 trillion
The South Sea Company was a British joint-stock company founded in 1711, created as a public-private partnership to consolidate and reduce the cost of national debt. The company’s share values rose on the speculations over future business growth, which never happened, as the government pulled its strings.
Subsequently, in 1720, investors realized the truth and the share values crashed. The company was later resolved in mid- 19th century.
