ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies ranking unveiled with BASF back on top

LONDON and NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies ranking shows Germany-based BASF retaking the top spot with $70.0 billion in 2025 sales.

The annual ranking of the leading global chemical producers has China-based Sinopec as #2 with $66.3 billion in sales, followed by US-based ExxonMobil ($53.4 billion), PetroChina ($42.1 billion) and US-based Dow ($40.0 billion).

The ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies issue of ICIS Chemical Business is available for download here.

Currency conversions to US dollars for the ranking are based on year-end 2025 exchange rates.

"2025 is likely to be the cycle bot­tom for earnings with 2026 seeing a meaning­ful margin recovery buoyed by supply short­ages stemming from the Middle East conflict – shortages of chemicals as well as feed­stocks used to make chemicals," said Joseph Chang, global editor of ICIS Chemical Business.

"Petrochemicals overcapacity led by China expansions combined with weak demand in housing, automotive and durable goods to depress prices and margins throughout 2025," he added.

Total operating profits for the ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies plunged 47.3% in 2025 from the previous year on 4.6% lower sales, while net profits cratered 81.9%.

China-based chemical companies, which have been the most active in expanding pro­duction capacity, comprised four of the Top 10, outpacing three based in the US, two in Europe and one in the Middle East.

The ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies ranking compiles sales, operating profits, net income, total assets, capital expenditures and R&D spending for the world's leading producers.

About ICIS

ICIS – Independent Commodity Intelligence Services – helps businesses through seamlessly delivering data and analytics, across global chemical, fertilizer and energy markets. A trusted source and benchmark for price information and insight across key commodities markets worldwide. Our independent, transparent market intelligence informs thousands of quality decisions every day, enabling our partners to make the very best business decisions.

ICIS is part of RELX, a FTSE 10 company.

About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs approximately 30,000 people of whom almost half are in North America. RELX PLC is a London listed holding company which owns 52.9% of RELX Group. RELX NV is an Amsterdam listed holding company which owns 47.1% of RELX Group. The shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX and RENX. Total market capitalization is approximately £24bn/€28bn/$33bn.

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SOURCE ICIS