MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Petrobras leading Latinamerican corporation based on sales volume

Only two Argentine companies figure in the top 30, one of them YPF

Petrobras, Brazil’s government managed oil and gas corporation rates as the Latinamerican corporation with the largest volume of sales, according to consultants Economática. The top ranked include six Brazilian companies, three Mexican and one from Colombia.

Petrobras sales in 2009 reached the equivalent of 104.9 billion US dollars followed by Mexico’s America Movil with 30.2 billion. Two other Brazilian corporations, Vale Doce linked to the mining industry and petrochemical Ultrapar figured in third and fourth places with 27.8 billion and 20.7 billion.

Consultants Economática rated the top 30 Latinamerican on sales volumes based on the corporate balance sheet of last year from 776 Latinamerican corporations.

Sixth rates Wal-Mart Mexico with sales of 20.69 billion US dollars followed by Brazil’s meats’ giant JBS-Friboi, 19.7 billion. The only Colombian corporation in the first ten is the government managed Ecopetrol with sales of 18.1 billion USD in seventh place.

The list of the first ten is completed with Brazil’s Telemar NL, with sales of 17.1 billion and steel maker Gerdau, 15.25 billion.

Among the 30 Latinamerican corporations, 16 are Brazilian, 7 Mexican, four Chilean, two from Argentina and one Colombian.

The first Chilean company in the list is Enesis, ranked 15 and with sales of 11.99 billion USD and the first from Argentina, oil and gas corporation YPF, ranked 22, with sales of 8.9 billion.

Total sales of the top 30 Latam corporations in 2009 reached 488.738 billion USD which is 14% higher than in 2008 points out Economática.