These are the biggest listed companies in SA
The largest JSE listed companies by market cap have shown massive growth over the past 5 years, led by media and Internet giant, Naspers, which has boosted its value over 520% in the period.
Looking at the 20 biggest companies listed locally, global and dual-listed mining giant, BHP Billiton remains the largest JSE-listed company with a market capitalisation of R1.87 trillion.
The Australian-controlled business is massive by any measure, with mining operations across the globe.
The mega-company came as a result of London-based Billiton merging with Australia’s BHP in 2001, resulting in the latter acquiring a controlling 58% stake in the company. The merger was a dual-listed deal, so the companies remain separate entities, but share a board.
The London-based chunk of the company has most of its operations in South Africa.
Another global corporate giant, British American Tobacco, has also found a top home on the JSE, being the second largest listed company in the country with a market cap of R1.17 trillion.
BAT has operations all over the world, and owns and manages a large portion of leading cigarette brands, including Dunhill, Kent and Lucky Strike. In South Africa, the Courtleigh brand of cigarettes is owned by the group.
SAB Miller, formerly South African Breweries, now based in London, is the third largest listed company in the country – while Naspers ranks highest at 4th as the biggest wholly-South African and SA-based company on the JSE.
Although only ranked 9th by market capitalisation, Standard Bank Group is ranked as the biggest company in South Africa by Forbes – taking into account total assets, sales, profits and overall value.
Top 20 JSE listed companies by market cap
| # | Company | Market Cap (ZAR billions) |
| 1 | BHP Billiton | 1,869.00 |
| 2 | British American Tobacco | 1,170.00 |
| 3 | SAB Miller | 926.70 |
| 4 | Richemont | 627.60 |
| 5 | Naspers | 492.08 |
| 6 | MTN | 422.89 |
| 7 | Sasol | 387.92 |
| 8 | Anglo American | 373.46 |
| 9 | Standard Bank | 231.73 |
| 10 | FirstRand | 224.67 |
| 11 | Vodacom | 196.41 |
| 12 | Old Mutual | 173.91 |
| 13 | Barclays Africa | 131.31 |
| 14 | Sanlam | 129.38 |
| 15 | Aspen | 127.02 |
| 16 | Anglo Platinum | 125.13 |
| 17 | Remgro | 114.55 |
| 18 | Kumba Iron Ore | 109.83 |
| 19 | Bidvest | 97.33 |
| 20 | Shoprite | 94.15 |
Market capitalization as at 30 May 2014: Bloomberg
Massive growth
South Africa’s 20 biggest companies have all shown growth over the past 5 years, bar one.
Anglo Platinum’s value has shrunk significantly, though still remains the 16th largest listed company on the local bourse.
Worker strikes in the platinum sector have mired all related industry companies over the past 2 years, with the latest strike well into its fourth month.
The strikes are reportedly costing platinum producers nearly R20.8 billion in lost revenue and was a major contributor to the country’s economy contracting in the first quarter for the first time since 2009.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s other largest companies have been raking in the successes, led by Internet and media giant, Naspers, which has seen it’s stock value shoot up over 520% over the past 5 years.
Naspers, which dominates the South African Pay-TV market and owns a number of prominent media outlets, has been benefitting predominantly from strong growth in its holdings in international Internet companies.
The group owns a 34% stake in Tencent, the Chinese media and entertainment company, as well as Russia’s Mail.Ru.
It first breached the R1,000 per share mark in the beginning of December 2013, and shows a healthy one-year-return of 78% on the JSE, along with a market cap exceeding R490 billion.
JSE top 20 five-year growth
| # | Company | Share Price (2009) |
Share Price (2014) |
% Growth |
| 1 | Naspers | 190.00 | 1,182.00 | 522.1% |
| 2 | Richemont | 18.01 | 109.30 | 506.9% |
| 3 | Aspen | 49.51 | 279.13 | 463.8% |
| 4 | Sanlam | 16.82 | 59.78 | 255.4% |
| 5 | SAB Miller | 166.76 | 576.70 | 245.8% |
| 6 | FirstRand | 11.60 | 39.96 | 244.5% |
| 7 | Old Mutual | 10.80 | 35.70 | 230.6% |
| 8 | Remgro | 68.12 | 220.08 | 223.1% |
| 9 | Bidvest | 95.50 | 294.72 | 208.6% |
| 10 | Shoprite | 55.90 | 165.00 | 195.2% |
| 11 | British American Tobacco | 222.23 | 627.00 | 182.1% |
| 12 | Vodacom | 53.80 | 131.80 | 145.0% |
| 13 | Sasol | 301.00 | 596.86 | 98.3% |
| 14 | MTN | 121.00 | 224.77 | 85.8% |
| 15 | Kumba Iron Ore | 188.00 | 332.99 | 77.1% |
| 16 | BHP Billiton | 197.50 | 336.65 | 70.5% |
| 17 | Standard Bank | 85.10 | 143.84 | 69.0% |
| 18 | Barclays Africa | 100.50 | 154.86 | 54.1% |
| 19 | Anglo American | 234.30 | 261.18 | 11.5% |
| 20 | Anglo Platinum | 578.38 | 460.62 | -20.36% |
Share prices as at 3 June 2009 close and 30 May 2014: Bloomberg
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