Apple remains the world's most profitable company this year, even as its annual profits declined 14.4 percent in the most recent financial year, according to Fortune magazine.

China's "Big Four" banks, including Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) and Bank of China (BOC), follow from second to fifth place.

Among the top 10 world's most profitable companies, only three companies' profits increased. The three are Alphabet, Samsung Electronics and JP Morgan Chase. Their profits increased 19.1 percent, 16.8 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.

Here are the top 10 most profitable companies in the world.

No 10 Samsung Electronics

Profits: $19.32 billion

An attendee wears a Samsung Electronics Co Gear virtual reality (VR) headset at the Virtual Reality World Congress in Bristol, UK, April 12, 2017. [Photo/VCG]