Seven Philippine-listed companies have been named to Forbes Asia’s 2026 Best Under A Billion list, underscoring the resilience of the country’s mid-sized enterprises as they continue to grow despite a challenging global business environment.
Leading the Philippine contingent is Asia United Bank (AUB), which posted annual sales of USD505 million. It was followed by Pryce Corp. (USD370 million), Apex Mining Co. (USD357 million), A. Soriano Corp. (USD235 million), Vivant Corp. (USD 177 million), Far Eastern University (USD100 million) and STI Education Systems Holdings (USD97 million).
The annual ranking recognizes 200 publicly listed companies across the Asia-Pacific region with annual revenue ranging from USD 10 million to less than USD 1 billion. From a pool of more than 19,000 companies, Forbes Asia selected winners using a composite score that measures debt levels, sales growth, earnings-per-share growth over one- and three-year periods, and average returns on equity over one and five years.
AUB’s inclusion reflects the continued strength of the Philippine banking sector, where lenders have benefited from sustained loan demand and accelerating digital adoption. Since its establishment in 1997, the bank has expanded its corporate, commercial and consumer banking businesses while investing heavily in digital payment solutions.
According to Forbes Asia, this year’s honorees demonstrated an ability to navigate geopolitical tensions, volatile energy markets and uneven global growth. Many have also benefited from structural trends such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles and renewable energy.
The Philippines’ representation spans banking, mining, energy and education, suggesting that corporate resilience is being driven by a diverse mix of industries rather than a single growth sector.
Launched in 2002, the Best Under A Billion list has a track record of identifying future regional champions. Past honorees include Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Infosys, Wipro, AirAsia and Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp., highlighting the list’s reputation as a barometer of emerging corporate success.
