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Biggest companies on the JSE

Quinton Bronkhorst

 ·8 Nov 2012

Telecoms and tech sits comfortably amongst some of the largest global companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), where the higher reaches are dominated by resources, bad habits and luxury goods.

Looking at the biggest listed companies in South Africa, the local exchange’s top 25 is dominated by global mining giants – echoing the country’s rich history as a basket of valuable natural resources such as gold, platinum and iron ore.

As such, global resources company, BHP Billiton takes the number one spot as the biggest JSE-listed company with a market cap of R1.6 trillion.

BHP Billiton is one of the largest global producers of major commodities, including aluminium, copper, energy coal, iron ore, manganese, metallurgical coal, nickel, silver and titanium minerals, and uranium along with substantial interests in oil and gas.

Other mining and resource companies take up top positions on the JSE, with Anglo American, Kumba Iron Ore, AngloGold, Anglo Platinum, Impala Platinum, Gold Fields and Exxaro all featuring in the top 25.

In banking and financials, Standard Bank Group takes the top spot with a market capitalisation of R173.2 billion, followed by Firstrand, Old Mutual, Absa, Nedbank and Sanlam all within the top 25.

Notably, however, despite the dominance of the resource and commodity sector, global drinks maker, SAB Miller; cigarette maker, British American Tobacco; and luxury goods maker Richemont take ownership of the top 5.

Looking at tech

Technology also features amongst the biggest listed companies in South Africa, lead by mobile operator, MTN Group, which takes the top tech spot with a market cap of R309.1 billion. MTN is the 6th largest listed company, overall, and the largest with a listing solely on the JSE.

MTN operates in 21 countries within the Middle-East and Africa (MEA) region, with large operations in Iran, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.

Competing mobile operator, Vodacom Group also features, in 12th position overall (third in terms of tech), with a market cap of R165.0 billion.

Media group, Naspers, which has ownership or shareholding in many Internet, broadcasting and telecommunications companies is the second largest listed tech company.

Remgro, which has investments in fibre and telecommunications in South Africa also features in the top 25.

Here are the top 25 companies featured in the Satrix 40, which features the 40 biggest JSE-listed companies by their market capital.

Top 25 JSE listed companies by market capital

Data from: Bloomberg, 5 November 2012

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