Europe’s 2026 Fortune 500 posts record $15.5 trillion revenue as UK tops list

The latest Fortune 500 Europe ranking shows total company revenues climbing to $15.5 trillion, a record level equal to about 50% of Europe’s GDP. After a 5% profit dip in 2025, earnings rose 3% to just over $1 trillion, driven by strong performance from energy majors and the automotive sector, with Volkswagen posting a third consecutive year of top revenue at more than $363 billion. Finance remains the most influential sector, with 105 firms generating nearly a quarter of total revenue and 40% of profit, a strength attributed to the global reach of Europe’s banks.

The United Kingdom overtook Germany for the first time, fielding 76 companies versus Germany’s 73, a shift linked to post-Brexit international expansion. Despite higher revenues, profit margins fell to 6.5% from 7.1% the year before, indicating companies are passing on only part of the cost pressures they face. The list also highlighted longevity, with the average firm over a century old, and a modest rise in female CEOs to 43.