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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
Traders work on floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

While many companies struggle to break even, there are some that are reporting record-breaking profits.

Let's take a look at some of the largest corporate earnings of all time in the world.

Source: Wikipedia

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A view of the Exxon Mobil refinery in Baytown, Texas.

ExxonMobil

Industry: Oil and gas

Country: The United States

Earnings (2011): $41.06 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
Boxes of baby food are seen in the company supermarket at the Nestle headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.

Nestle

Industry: Food processing

Country: Switzerland

Earnings (2010): $37.88 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A worker monitors the queue as motorists wait for fuel at a filling station in Liverpool, the United Kingdom.

Royal Dutch Shell

Industry: Oil and gas

Country: The Netherlands/UK

Earnings (2010): $20.47 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A Ford truck sits for sale under an American flag at a dealership lot in Encinitas, California.

Ford Motor Company

Industry: Automotive

Country: The United States

Earnings (1998): $22.07 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A woman walks into a Citibank branch in New York.

Citigroup

Industry: Banking financial services

Country: The United States

Earnings (2005): $24.59 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A BP petrol station sign is seen at dawn in west London.

BP

Industry: Oil and gas and alternative fuels

Country: The United Kingdom

Earnings (2008): $21.67 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A boy views an iPad 2 tablet computer at an Apple dealership in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Apple

Industry: Consumer electronics

Country: The United States

Earnings (2011): $25.92 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
Petrol is priced over five dollars per gallon at a Chevron petrol station in downtown Los Angeles.

Chevron

Industry: Oil and gas mining

Country: The United States

Earnings (2008): $23.93 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
US Airways jets taxi on the tarmac in Charlotte, North Carolina.

United Airlines

Industry: Airline

Country: The United States

Earnings (2006): $22.88 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
People walk past the entrance of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in Paris.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

Industry: Banking

Country: China

Earnings (2010): $24.40 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
The logo of the GE is seen behind a traffic light in Prague.

General Electric

Industry: Conglomerate

Country: The United States

Earnings (2006): $20.74 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
Bank of America security guards stand outside as an annual shareholders meeting takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bank of America

Industry: Banking and financial services

Country: The United States

Earnings (2006): $21.13 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
Visitors walk past a Samsung Galaxy tablet advertisement during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Samsung

Industry: Conglomerate

Country: South Korea

Earnings (2010): $21.2 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
Cyclists pass under board displaying oil prices at PetroChina station in Beijing.

Petrochina

Industry: Oil and gas and petrochemicals

Country: China

Earnings (2010): $21.16 billion

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World's biggest corporate earnings of all time

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 14:00 IST
A Gazprom sign is seen in front of the White House, the seat of Russia's prime minister, in Moscow.

Gazprom

Industry: Oil and gas

Country: Russia

Earnings (2009): $20.61 billion