11 Most Valuable Car Companies in the World

In this article, we are going to talk about the 11 most valuable car companies in the world. You can skip our detailed discussion about the global automotive industry and trends and go to the 5 Most Valuable Car Companies in the World.

The automotive industry plays a key role in driving the world’s economic growth. Among the products of the industry are automobiles, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), electric vehicles, trucks, and commercial vehicles. According to data from the industry research firm IBISWorld, the global car and automobile manufacturing industry is worth $3.2 trillion in 2021. 

The automotive industry contributes heavily to the GDP of the top countries that produce the most cars such as China (10%), Germany (5%), and the U.S. (3.5%). The auto industry also accounts for about 5% of the world’s manufacturing employment recruiting 9 million people to produce over 90 million vehicles annually. Car companies in the world are facing a growing demand of innovative vehicles. Overall global car sales are expected to increase, according to McKinsey statistics, but the annual growth rate is expected to slow down from 3.6% in the last five years to about 2% by 2030, due to the rise of ride-sharing services.

Global Auto Industry Trends

The biggest car companies are swiftly adapting to the changing trends. Even though car sales are declining, especially in the mature markets, people are buying more SUVs, electric and hybrid cars. One of the most hyped trends in the global automotive industry is the rise of electric vehicles. In a Deloitte Global Automotive Consumer Study conducted in 2020, 21% of the total respondents are planning to purchase a hybrid or battery electric vehicle. This is a good sign for the uprising EV giants worldwide including Ford (NYSE: F), Volkswagen, NIO (NYSE: NIO), BMW and EV market leader Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA). With generous government incentives, stricter pollution regulations, and new releases, global EV sales will soar to about 3.4 million units in 2021.

Another trend that will push for the growth of the automotive industry is subscription services offered by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The vehicle subscription service segment is expected to reach over $40 billion in value by 2026. The subscription services offered by car companies include vehicle insurance, maintenance, and roadside assistance. NIO (NYSE: NIO) recently made a smart move in offering battery-as-a-service (BaaS), a monthly battery subscription for car buyers. 

most valuable car companies in the world

The automotive industry is not totally insulated from the economic distress brought in by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, auto sales fell sharply as people held off buying new cars. Major car companies are installing HWW (Health, Wellness, and Well-being) features to lure health-conscious buyers. Jaguar Land Rover has been developing advanced ultraviolet (UV) ray technology that can destroy germs, while Geely has already released an SUV with an N95 air-filtration device that can remove bacteria and viruses from the air. 

The Most Valuable Car Companies in the World

The global automotive industry is rapidly growing and receives a steady stream of investments to improve aesthetics and features of vehicles. To give you the most accurate insights about the 11 most valuable car companies in the world, we ranked each car company by its market cap that we sourced from Yahoo Finance.

11. Hyundai Motor Company (KSE: 005380.KS)

Market cap: $43.2 billion

We start our list of the 11 most valuable car companies in the world with Korean car manufacturer Hyundai Motor. According to Statista, the leading car maker headquartered in Seoul accounted for approximately 49% of the automobile market in South Korea. The company’s revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020 jumped 5.1% to $25.8 billion. The stock has gained 152.3% over the last twelve months. 

Last year, Hyundai announced a collaboration with Canoo Inc. (NASDAQ: GOEV), a California-based autonomous vehicle company, to create a fully electric framework for future EVs based on Canoo’s modular skateboard technology.

Image by Varun Kulkarni from Pixabay

10. Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F)

Market cap: $48.9 billion

Ford Motor Co. is one of the most valuable car companies in the world that is known for its highly powerful engines. Headquartered in Michigan, the iconic car company offers unbeatable value with its cars, pickups, SUVs, and trucks. The company represents about 12.1% of the North American car market, 6.8% of the European market, and 2.4% of the Chinese market as of 2020. The American car manufacturer stole the spotlight from EV giant Tesla when it started selling its fully-electric crossover SUV the Ford Mustang Mach-E in December 2020. The company’s revenue in 2020 was $127 billion. 

The stock has risen 137% in the last year, with Barclays recently increasing its price target to $16 from $9 and upgrading it to overweight from equal weight.

9. Ferrari N.V. (NYSE: RACE)

Market cap: $50.7 billion

Italian supercar maker Ferrari N.V. ranks 9th in our list of the 11 most valuable car companies in the world. The luxury sports car maker manufactures and distributes limited edition hypercars, track cars, and race cars. Although the company isn’t going after the EV hype for now, in 2019, Ferrari debuted its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle SF90 Stradale. As of December 2020, Ferrari owns 36 retail stores and has a network of 168 168 authorized dealers worldwide. 

The company’s revenue in 2020 came in at approximately $4 billion. Shares of RACE are up 32.4% over the last twelve months.

Image by Toby Parsons from Pixabay

8. Honda Motor Co. (NYSE: HMC)

Market cap: $52.2 billion

Ranking 8th on the list of the 11 most valuable car companies is Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda Motor Co. Founded in 1948, the company is engaged in designing and producing motorcycles and automobiles. Honda holds 5.78% of the global automobile market selling 4.8 million automobile units in 2020. Honda started releasing battery-powered cars in the European region in 2020 and plans to sell two more fully-electric SUVs in 2024.

The company’s sales in the first nine months of 2021 came in at $86.6 billion. Shares of HMC jumped 30% over the past twelve months.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

7. NIO Limited (NYSE: NIO)

Market cap: $56.3 billion

Chinese EV maker NIO ranks 7th in our list of the 11 most valuable car companies in the world with shares gaining 1,210% over the last twelve months. In 2020, the company launched its Battery-as-a-Service where EV buyers can acquire a discounted battery-less car and purchase a monthly battery subscription from NIO instead. Following a near-bankruptcy situation in 2019, the company made a steady turnaround in 2020, selling 43,728 vehicles with total revenue of $2.5 billion. 

Mizuho initiated a buy recommendation for NIO on March 11, 2021.

6. BMW (OTCMKTS: BMWYY)

Market cap: $63.7 billion

One of the most valuable car companies in the world is German luxury car manufacturer Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, most commonly known as BMW. The company was founded in 1916 and produces top luxury car brands including Mini and Rolls-Royce. BMW is a well-established brand known for its value for money and today the car company is racing to catch EV industry leader Tesla Inc. BMW sold nearly 193,000 electrified vehicles, including fully electric and plug-in hybrids, in 2020.

According to the financial statement of BMW, the company’s revenue in 2020 was $9.9 billion. Shares of BMW jumped 87.2% over the past twelve months. 

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Most Valuable Car Companies in the World.

Suggested articles:

Disclosure: None. 11 Most Valuable Car Companies in the World is originally published at Insider Monkey.