In this article, we will be looking at the top 20 most valuable German companies. If you want to skip our analysis of the German market, you can skip ahead to the Top 5 Most Valuable German Companies.
Which Industries Drive the German Economy?
Germany's economy thrives due to the country's geographical significance in Europe for trade and also because the country dominates several global industries. The German automotive, chemical, mechanical engineering and electrical industries are the backbone of the country's economy. The German automotive industry is the most integral industry for the country's economy, out of the top 75 automotive manufacturers in the world, 15 are German companies. According to a report by AutoVista, January 2024 was the best opening for the German automotive market since 2020. Sales increased 19.1% compared to last year. The report forecasts 2.88 million new automobiles to be manufactured and distributed by the German automotive industry by the end of 2024.
The electronics industry is Germany's second largest and amounts to 10% of the domestic industrial output. Moreover, the electronics industry makes up 3% of Germany's gross GDP. According to a report by Germany Trade and Invest, GTAI, the German smartphone industry, in particular, is expected to reach $42.57 billion in 2024, growing at a rate of 1.3% year over year.
Germany's semiconductor industry is another major industry uplifting the country's economy. According to data provided by Simply Wall. St, the German semiconductor sector is expected to log an 8.6% increase in annual earnings over the next 5 years. The German semiconductor industry is the largest in Europe and the country has invested heavily in maintaining its semiconductor production. You might be interested in the 10 Best Selling Consumer Products in Germany.
Infineon Technologies (ETR:IFX) is a leading semiconductor company that specializes in power systems and IoT technologies. On February 20, Infineon Technologies (ETR:IFX) announcedthe sale of its two backend manufacturing sites to subsidiaries of ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd (NYSE:ASX), an independent semiconductor manufacturing services company. One of the two manufacturing sites was based in Cavite, Philippines, and the other in Cheonan, South Korea. ASE will introduce new developments to the sites, however, a long-term supply agreement has been set between the two entities for continued supply of the new services and products to Infineon Technologies' (ETR:IFX) existing customers. The agreement is expected to be finalized by the second quarter of 2024.
SAP (NYSE:SAP) is a German software development company. The company is known for its S/4HANA software program that provides finance, procurement, supply chain, and asset management services. SAP (NYSE:SAP) also has several programmed solutions for human resources and customer services as well. On January 23, SAP (NYSE:SAP) reported earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.53, surpassing EPS estimates by $0.21. The company reported a revenue of $9.19 billion and outperformed revenue estimates by $69.13 million. Here are some comments from the SAP (NYSE:SAP) Q4 2023 earnings call:
2023 was a great year for SAP. We met or exceeded our outlook in all key metrics. This clearly underlines that the transformation journey we started 3 years ago has now reached a new level. With significant business momentum, including in Q4, SAP is stronger and more relevant than ever as we enter the era of Business AI. At the same time, the tech industry is moving fast. We need to keep leading the way as a top enterprise application company and further advance to become the number one Business AI company as well.
Siemens (ETR:SIE) is a German company and one of Europe's largest industrial manufacturing companies. The company has four segments; infrastructure, healthcare, industry, and transport. On February 27, the company announced the launch of Gridscale X, a modular software that helps tackle utility issues such as scaling grid capacity at a faster pace and increasing DER visibility in grid management. The software will assist grid operators in grid management, planning, and maintenance. This software is part of the Siemens (ETR:SIE) Xcelerator platform, which is an open digital platform that accelerates digital transformation.
With this context, let’s now take a look at the top 20 most valuable German companies.
In this article, we have listed the top 20 most valuable German companies. To make our list of the top 20 most valuable German companies, we relied on several sources, including industry reports, our rankings, and multiple similar rankings. We also went over the Yahoo Finance Screener and Finviz stock screeners. For public companies, we checked each company's market capitalization, as of March 8, on Yahoo Finance. The market caps for foreign companies were converted to US dollars based on the exchange rates, as of March 8. Our list is in ascending order of market caps as of March 8. To quantify the "value" or "size" of private companies, we selected the annual revenue available for the most recent fiscal year. The estimated valuation was sourced from major media reports based on the private companies' latest funding round. The annual revenue was sourced from official statements by the company. Our list is in ascending order of market caps, as of March 8, for public companies, and alternative metrics for private companies.
By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.
Top 20 Most Valuable German Companies
20. Uniper SE (ETR:UNO)
Market Capitalization: $25.34 billion
At number 20th on our list of the top 20 most valuable German companies is Uniper SE (ETR:UNO). Based in Dusseldorf, Germany, it is a multinational energy company with businesses expanding to Chicago, Singapore, Calgary, and Dubai. Uniper SE (ETR:UNO) has multiple global businesses such as energy trading, LNG, and gas. The market capitalization of Uniper SE (ETR:UNO) is $25.34 billion, as of March 8.
19. Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:BEI)
Market Capitalization: $33.52 billion
Ranking 19th on our list of the 20 most valuable German companies is Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:BEI). It is a consumer goods company owned by the Herz Family. The company owns several world-renowned products such as Nivea, Labello, Eucerin, and Hansaplast. The market capitalization of Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:BEI) is $33.52 billion, as of March 8.
18. E.ON SE (ETR:EOAN)
Market Capitalization: $34.25 billion
E.ON SE (ETR:EOAN) ranks 18th among the top most valuable German companies. It is an electric utility company and service provider. Essent, Suwag Energie AG, and E WIE EINFACH GmbH are the most prominent subsidiaries of the company. The market capitalization of E.ON SE (ETR:EOAN) is $34.25 billion, as of March 8.
17. Adidas AG (ETR:ADS)
Market Capitalization: $36.76 billion
Ranking 17th on our list of the most valuable German companies is Adidas AG (ETR:ADS). It is the world's second-largest and Europe's largest sportswear manufacturer. It is one of the footwear, apparel, and accessories brands owned by the Adidas Group, which also owns the Reebok and Runtastic technology company. The market capitalization of Adidas AG (ETR:ADS) is $36.76 billion, as of March 8.
16. Deutsche Borse (ETR:DB1)
Market Capitalization: $38.09 billion
Ranking 16th on our list of the most valuable German companies is Deutsche Borse (ETR:DB1) a share trading and securities marketplace based in Germany. The platform gives access to investors and companies for transaction services and capital markets. The company has over 3,200 employees across the globe. The market capitalization of Deutsche Borse (ETR:DB1) is $38.09 billion, as of March 8.
15. Porsche AG (ETR:P911)
Market Capitalization: $42.70 billion
Porsche AG (ETR:P911) ranks 15th among the top most valuable German companies. It is a high-performance sports cars, sedans, and SUVs manufacturer. Owned by Volkswagen AG, the company is based in Stuttgart, Germany. The Panamera, Cayenne, 718, and 911 are some of the company's most famous sports cars. The market capitalization of Porsche AG (ETR:P911) is $42.70 billion, as of March 8.
14. BASF SE (ETR:BAS)
Market Capitalization: $47.67 billion
BASF SE (ETR:BAS), also known as Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik, is one of the largest chemical producers in the world. The company owns several subsidiaries, such as Wintershall, Nunhems, and BTC Europe, to name a few. The market capitalization of BASF SE (ETR:BAS) is $47.67 billion, as of March 8.
13. Infineon Technologies (ETR:IFX)
Market Capitalization: $48.51 billion
Ranking 13th on our list of the top most valuable German companies is Infineon Technologies (ETR:IFX). It is Germany's largest semiconductor manufacturing company and one of the top 10 global semiconductor manufacturers. The market capitalization of Infineon Technologies (ETR:IFX) is $48.51 billion, as of March 8.
12. Deutsche Post AG (ETR:DHL)
Market Capitalization: $50.13 billion
Deutsche Post AG (ETR:DHL) is the domestic mail service in Germany, operated by the DHL Group. The company handles mail services such as mail communication, press services, retail outlets, and dialogue marketing services in its mailing division. The market capitalization of Deutsche Post AG (ETR:DHL) is $50.13 billion, as of March 8.
11. Munich RE (ETR:MUV2)
Market Capitalization: $65.46 billion
Munich RE (ETR:MUV2), fully known as Munich Reinsurance Company, is a German insurance company. It is one of the world's largest reinsurance companies and also has a primary insurance subsidiary ERGO. As of March 8, the market capitalization of Munich RE (ETR:MUV2) is $65.46 billion.
10. Volkswagen AG (ETR:VOW)
Market Capitalization: $69.26 billion
Ranking 10th on our list of the top 20 most valuable German companies is Volkswagen AG (ETR:VOW). It is a multinational manufacturer of commercial and passenger vehicles, motorcycles, turbomachinery, and engines. It is a subsidiary of Porsche SE and is one of the world's largest automaking companies. As of March 8, the market capitalization of Volkswagen AG (ETR:VOW) is $69.26 billion.
9. Siemens Healthineers (ETR:SHL)
Market Capitalization: $70.09 billion
Siemens Healthineers (ETR:SHL) ranks 9th among the top 20 most valuable German companies. Based in Erlangen, Germany, it is a healthcare solutions and services company. The company owns several medical technology companies in Germany. The market capitalization of Siemens Healthineers (ETR:SHL) is $70.09 billion, as of March 8.
8.Merck KGaA (ETR:MRK)
Market Capitalization: $74.72 billion
Ranking 8th on our list of the top most valuable German companies is Merck KGaA (ETR:MRK). It is a science and technology company divided into 3 main sectors, life sciences, electronics, and healthcare. The company operates on several continents and has research and development centers across several major cities around the globe. The market capitalization of Merck KGaA (ETR:MRK) is $74.72 billion, as of March 8.
7. BMW (ETR:BMW)
Market Capitalization: $77.22 billion
BMW (ETR:BMW), fully known as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, is a German luxury vehicle and motorcycle brand. The company owns several other automobile brands such as Mini and Rolls-Royce, as well as its own motorcycle brand BMW Motorrad. As of March 8, the market capitalization of BMW (ETR:BMW) is $77.22 billion.
6. Mercedes-Benz (ETR:MBG)
Market Capitalization: $84.94 billion
Ranking sixth on our list of the top 20 most valuable German companies is Mercedes-Benz (ETR:MBG). It is a multinational luxury and commercial automotive company, based in Stuttgart, Germany. It is one of the largest premium vehicle brands in the world and also has a commercial vehicle brand managed by Daimler Truck. The market capitalization of Mercedes-Benz (ETR:MBG) is $84.94 billion, as of March 8.
