Top 10 largest UK companies by market cap

The UK economy offers plenty of opportunities for traders, from large blue-chip stocks to penny stocks. Discover the 10 largest companies by market cap in the UK, and how you can trade their share price movements.

What are the biggest UK companies by market capitalisation?

*Table updated March 2026. Please note that the order may change in line with market fluctuations.

All of the largest UK companies are constituents of the FTSE 100, which tracks the top 100 stocks on the London Stock Exchange.

The UK’s economy is currently the sixth largest in the world, behind the US, China, Japan, Germany and India. The biggest companies in the UK can give you insights into the nation’s economy, including its health and which sectors it’s reliant upon. For example, the top 10 are split between mining, pharmaceuticals, non-cyclical consumer goods and financials.

How to trade the largest companies in the UK

Here’s how to start trading the largest companies in the UK:

1. Learn more about the largest companies
2. Discover how to buy and trade stocks
3. Open an account with us
4. Place and monitor your first trade
   

You can take a position on the largest companies in the UK using CFDs or spread bets. As they’re derivatives, you can speculate on any underlying price movements without taking ownership of the shares. So, you can take a position on rising or falling market prices – known as going long or short.

Alternatively, you can buy and take ownership of these stocks via a share dealing account. This makes you eligible to vote and to receive dividends if the company grants them. Learn about the best dividend-paying stocks in the UK.

Read more about the companies on our list below:

1. AstraZeneca
2. HSBC
3. Rio Tinto
4. Rolls-Royce Holdings
5. British American Tobacco
6. BP
7. GSK
8. BAE Systems
9. National Grid
10. Glencore

AstraZeneca (£220.33 billion)

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was created in 1999 through the merger of Sweden’s Astra AB and the UK’s Zeneca Group. Today, it is one of the world’s biggest drugmakers, with a business spanning oncology, biopharmaceuticals and rare diseases. Its size, global reach and pipeline of new medicines help to keep it firmly on investors’ radar.

In its full-year 2025 results, AstraZeneca reported total revenue of $58.7 billion, up 8% at constant exchange rates, driven by growth across oncology, cardiovascular, renal, metabolism, and rare disease. Core EPS rose 11% to $9.16, while the company also continues to generate investor interest through key cancer treatments such as Tagrisso and Imfinzi, alongside a broad late-stage pipeline.  

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HSBC (£206.91 billion)

HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking groups, providing retail, commercial, wealth management, and corporate and institutional banking services across multiple markets. Although headquartered in London and listed on the LSE, the bank has particularly strong exposure to Asia, which is a major part of its investment case.

In its 2025 annual results, HSBC said it is targeting a return on tangible equity of 17% or better for 2026, 2027 and 2028, excluding notable items. It is also targeting year-on-year revenue growth from 2026 to 2028. For investors, HSBC’s appeal often lies in its scale, dividend potential, international footprint and sensitivity to interest rates, credit conditions and Asian economic activity.  

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Rio Tinto (£107.94 billion)

Rio Tinto is one of the world’s biggest mining companies, producing commodities such as iron ore, copper, aluminium and lithium. While it is listed in London, it operates globally and is often watched by investors as a barometer for commodity demand, especially from China and the wider industrial economy.

In its 2025 annual results, Rio Tinto said copper equivalent production rose 8% year-on-year, helped by the ramp-up at Oyu Tolgoi, while its Pilbara operations delivered record fourth-quarter iron ore production and shipments. For investors, Rio Tinto is notable not just for its exposure to iron ore, but also for its growing position in copper and lithium, two commodities that remain central to electrification and the energy transition.  

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Rolls-Royce Holdings (£103.98 billion)

Rolls-Royce Holdings is an engineering group best known for making aircraft engines for civil aerospace customers, as well as power systems and defence technologies. It is not the same business as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, which is owned by BMW. The listed company’s fortunes are closely tied to long-haul flying, defence spending and execution of its turnaround strategy.

In its 2025 full-year results, Rolls-Royce said it expects significant further progress in 2026, guiding for an underlying operating profit of £4.0 billion to £4.2 billion and free cash flow of £3.6 billion to £3.8 billion. Investors have been watching the company’s multi-year transformation closely, with improving profitability, stronger cash generation and continued recovery in civil aerospace all helping to drive interest in the shares.  

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British American Tobacco (£94.97 billion)

British American Tobacco, often referred to as BAT, is one of the world’s largest tobacco and nicotine companies. Alongside traditional cigarette brands, it has been investing heavily in what it calls “new categories”, including vapour, heated tobacco and modern oral nicotine products.

In its 2025 preliminary results, BAT reported organic revenue growth of 2.1%, with new categories returning to double-digit growth in the second half of the year, driven in part by strong performance from Velo. For investors, the company is often seen as a major income stock, while the shift towards non-combustible products is a closely watched part of its longer-term growth story.  

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BP (£85.33 billion)

BP is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, with operations spanning oil and gas production, refining, trading, convenience and EV charging. It remains heavily influenced by energy prices, refining margins and strategic decisions over how quickly to shift its portfolio.

In its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, BP reported full-year underlying replacement cost profit of $7.5 billion. The company also said it had made progress on its targets to grow cash flow and returns, reduce costs and strengthen the balance sheet, while higher divestment proceeds were expected to support that effort. Investors tend to watch BP for its exposure to commodity prices, shareholder returns, balance-sheet discipline and the direction of its energy strategy.  

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GSK (£78.75 billion)

GSK is a major pharmaceutical and vaccines company whose business is focused on specialty medicines, vaccines and general medicines. It is one of the UK’s best-known healthcare stocks and is often followed for its drug pipeline, earnings resilience and dividend profile.

In its 2025 results, GSK reported that sales rose 7% to more than £32 billion, driven in large part by specialty medicines and vaccines. The company also reaffirmed its 2026 guidance, including expected turnover growth of 3% to 5%, and said it expects a 2026 dividend of 70p per share. Investors will often look at GSK’s pipeline progress, regulatory approvals and cash generation when assessing the stock.  

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BAE Systems (£69.43 billion)

BAE Systems is the UK’s largest defence contractor, supplying military equipment, combat vehicles, naval systems, electronic warfare technology and cyber capabilities to governments and armed forces around the world. Defence stocks have drawn increased attention in recent years as many countries have reviewed or increased military spending.

In its 2025 full-year results, BAE Systems said order backlog rose by £5.8 billion to a record £83.6 billion, with order intake of £36.8 billion. That large backlog is one reason investors pay close attention to the company, as it provides visibility over future revenues. BAE’s exposure to long-term defence programmes and geopolitical spending trends also makes it a stock many investors watch closely.  

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National Grid (£65.42 billion)

National Grid is one of the world’s largest listed utilities and focuses on the transmission and distribution of electricity and gas in the UK and parts of the US. Because it operates regulated networks, it is often seen as a more defensive stock than some cyclical sectors, though it is also influenced by regulation, borrowing costs and capital spending requirements.

The company has been in the spotlight for its huge investment programme, having previously announced a £60 billion plan for the five years to March 2029. In its half-year 2025/26 results, National Grid said continuing-operations capital investment rose to £5.1 billion for the six months to 30 September 2025. For investors, the key themes are usually regulated returns, dividend visibility, and the role the business could play in supporting electricity-grid upgrades to enable a more electrified economy.  

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Glencore (£61.47 billion)

Glencore is a diversified natural resources group with a mix of mining and commodity trading operations. It produces and markets commodities, including copper, cobalt, zinc, nickel, and coal, giving it exposure to both industrial demand and price volatility across global resource markets.

In its 2025 preliminary results, Glencore said adjusted EBITDA came in at $13.5 billion, with second-half adjusted EBITDA of $8.1 billion, up 49% on the first half, helped by higher metals prices and improved production volumes. Its 2025 production report also highlighted a sharp recovery in second-half copper output. Investors often watch Glencore for its combination of mining exposure and trading income, as well as for its leverage to metals linked to electrification, such as copper and cobalt.  

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Largest UK companies by market cap summed up

These are just a selection of the largest companies in the UK. Always do your own research and remember that large companies can also fail. Past performance is not a guide to future returns.

Trade and invest in over 17,000 UK, US and global shares from zero commission with us, the UK’s No.1 trading provider.* Learn more about trading or investing in shares with us, or open an account to get started today.

*Based on revenue excluding FX (published financial statements, October 2021).