Volkswagen at No. 1 leads the top ten, dominated by car makers, energy, and financials

Europe's corporate giants drive $14.9 trillion in revenue, up 2.5% from last year

Women lead 7.6% of Fortune 500 Europe companies with 38 female CEOs

LONDON, Oct. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Fortune unveiled the Fortune 500 Europe ranking for 2025, highlighting the continent's top companies. Volkswagen maintains its lead position, with revenues up 1%, thereby widening the gap with Shell, whose revenues fell 11%.

The Fortune 500 Europe showcases the continent's innovation and resilience, driving $14.9 trillion in revenue, up 2.5% from last year, with ranked companies employing 35 million people - an increase of 4% from last year's list or 1.2 million employees. At the top, Volkswagen reported $351 billion in revenue, while Bâloise Group closes the list at #500 with $7 billion. Despite revenue growth, profits dipped 5% as rising costs squeezed margins, with the profit-to-sales ratio falling to 6.6% from 7.1%. HSBC tops profits with nearly $24 billion in 2024 - one of only four firms over $15 billion.

The number of women CEOs has risen to 38, the highest ever for Fortune 500 Europe, and total revenues for women-led firms increased by 12% to $924 billion. Still, only 7.6% of companies are led by women, and four have announced a transition to a male CEO in the coming months. Engie (#37), led by Catherine MacGregor, is the only woman-led company in the top 50.

The Fortune 500 Europe Top 10 List:

Volkswagen (Germany)
Shell (UK)
Glencore (Switzerland)
TotalEnergies (France)
BP (UK)
Stellantis (Netherlands)
Mercedes-Benz Group (Germany)
BMW Group (Germany)
BNP Paribas (France)
Banco Santander (Spain)

Search here by country, sector, industry, and more.

Europe's economy is driven by the energy, financials, and motor vehicles & parts sectors. Shell, Glencore, TotalEnergies, and BP claim four of the top five spots, while Germany's industrial strength shines through in Volkswagen (#1), Mercedes-Benz (#7), and BMW (#8). The UK's strong energy presence secures two of the top five spots, and France leads with the most workers across 64 companies.

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at TotalEnergies, said: "TotalEnergies is profitably growing its energy production by about 4% a year to meet global demand, while reducing emissions from our operations. We are honored to be recognized in the top of this list, reflecting the strength of our consistent strategy."

Grethe Schepers, Lists Director Europe at Fortune, said: "The Fortune 500 Europe is more than a ranking; it's a mirror of the scale and strength of Europe's most influential companies. Now in its third edition, it continues to capture the pulse of European business, both as a benchmark of corporate performance and a celebration of the leadership shaping Europe's business landscape."

With the release of this third European edition, Fortune continues to build not only a definitive list but a connected community of leading C-suite executives across the region. Fortune's mission is to convene this community--through journalism, dialogue, and events--to advance leadership and strengthen the fabric of European business.

For the Fortune 500 Europe list, companies are ranked by total revenues for their latest available respective fiscal years. All companies on the list must publish financial data and report part or all of their figures to a government agency. The latest figures in the list are as reported by the companies; any comparisons are with the prior year's figures as originally reported. Fortune does not restate the prior year's figures for changes in accounting. The full methodology is available here.

About Fortune:
Fortune is a global multi-platform media company built on a legacy of trusted, award-winning reporting and information for those who want to make business better. Independently owned, Fortune tells the stories of the world's biggest companies and their leaders as well as a new generation of innovators who are moving business forward. Digitally and in print, Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable, in regions around the world. Its iconic rankings include Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World's Most Admired Companies. Fortune builds world-class communities by convening industry thought leaders for exclusive summits and conferences, including the Fortune Global Forum, Brainstorm Tech, and Fortune Most Powerful Women. For more information, visit fortune.com.

Media Contacts:

Patrick Reilly
Fortune
Patrick.Reilly@fortune.com

Naomi Cykiert
Fortune
Naomi.cykiert@fortune.com

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