Top 15 Most Valuable Italian Companies

In this article, we will discuss the top 15 most valuable Italian companies. You can skip our detailed analysis of the Italian economy and go to Top 5 Most Valuable Italian Companies.

Officially known as the Italian Republic, Italy is a country located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, within Southern Europe. One of the founding and leading members of the European Union and the OECD, Italy has a population of over 60 million inhabitants, making it the third most populous member nation of the European Union, just after France and Germany. Regarded widely as a global center for arts, literature, music, philosophy, technology, and fashion, it is one of the world’s most industrialized nations and a leader in world trade and exports. After the period of Unification in 1846, Italy went through rapid industrialization during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the northern regions coming into economic growth and power while the south stagnated, creating a political diaspora in the country. Following the liberation of Italy, the country enjoyed a period of economic boom, known as the Italian economic miracle by many economists and historians, and grew to become a particularly developed nation.

Italy’s Economic Situation

Although the country is recovering from the socio-economic weaknesses caused by the financial crisis in 2007-8, exacerbated by the economic divide in the North and South regions, Italy is on the move to stability. Italy entered 2021 with a rebounding economy, with the GDP experiencing a growth of 4.7% the first six months of the year, and expected growth of 5.1% for the remaining months, according to the Bank of Italy. Owing to a diversified industrial manufacturing, agricultural, machinery, and fashion design industry base, alongside an estimated nominal GDP of $2.106 trillion, Italy’s economy ranks as the third-largest in the Euro Zone and ninth-largest in the world.

Italy’s Manufacturing Industry

Ranked as the 6th largest manufacturing country in the world, Italy’s manufacturing sector is defined by a small number of multinational corporations, including Ferrari N.V (NYSE: RACE), alongside many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which has produced a sector that is oftentimes more committed on the export of luxury products in a bid to compete with its global contender, China. A key factor for the recent growth of the manufacturing market in Italy has been the government’s incentives plan, known as ‘Piano Transizione 4.0’ (National Transition Plan 4.0), which consists of 7 billion Euros ($8.32 billion) in tax credits for investment goods, R&D and worker training. The automotive industry, in particular, plays a significant role in the Italian manufacturing sector, as the Italian automotive supply chain, formed by over 5,500 companies in 2019, employing over 274,000 people, and with a turnover of $118.5 billion, contributed over 6.2% of the Italian GDP.

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Alongside the manufacturing, business, finance, agriculture, and infrastructure industries, the energy sector is a major contributor to the country’s overall economy. Despite profits obtained by hydrocarbon extraction and oil companies, including Eni S.p.A (NYSE: E), Italy has gone on to become one of the world’s leading producers of renewable energy in the last decade, ranking as the second-largest in the European Union after Germany, and the ninth-largest producer in the world, with renewable energy sources accounting for about 33.9% of Italy’s electricity generation in 2018.

Let us now look towards the most valuable Italian companies.

Top 15 Most Valuable Italian Companies

15. Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica S.p.A. (MIL:REC.MI)

Recordati (BIT: REC) is an Italian multinational pharmaceutical company, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (BIT). Headquartered in Milan, the company manufactures and markets prescription and non-prescription pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical grade chemicals, intermediates, therapeutic products, and treatments, with operational activities in countries across the globe, including Russia, Turkey, North Africa, Canada, United States, and multiple countries within Europe.

14. Prada S.p.A. (HKSE:1913.HK)

Founded by Mario Prada in 1913, Prada S.p.A (HKG: 1913) is an Italian company involved in the fashion industry. The company, along with its subsidiaries, specializes and engages in the design, production, marketing, and distribution of leather goods, clothing, eyewear, handbags, fragrances, and accessories, operating in approximately seventy countries through directly operated stores, franchise-operated stores, a web of multi-brand stores and departmental stores. In addition, the company engages in real estate, as well as operating duty-free stores. The company reported a revenue of $2.88 billion for the year 2020.

13. Terna – Rete Elettrica Nazionale Società per Azioni (MIL:TRN.MI)

Based in Rome, Italy, Terna Group (BIT: TRN) is a transmission system operator (TSO) founded in 1999, and together along with its subsidiaries, engages in the electricity transmission and dispatching ventures in Italy, the European interconnected grid, and internationally. Based on the size of its electrical grid, Terna Group (BIT: TRN) is the sixth-largest electricity transmission grid operator in the world. Operating through the regulated, non-regulated and international segments, the company is involved in the planning, development, operation, and maintenance of the Italian national transmission grid and high voltage infrastructures. In addition, Terna Group (BIT: TRN) produces and commercializes transformers, progresses renewable energy projects, and offers telecommunications services. The company reported a revenue of $2.98 billion for the year 2020.

12. Atlantia SpA (MIL:ATL.MI)

Formerly known as Autostrade, Atlantia S.p.A (BIT: ATL) is an Italian holding company headquartered in Rome, Italy. The group engages in the construction and operation of motorways, airports and transport structures. Operating and managing over 8,700 miles (14,000 km) of toll motorways, while managing and maintaining these motorways under concession, while providing support for the Italian motorway operators. The group also operates and maintains the Fiumicino and Ciampino, two of Italy’s most prominent airports, along with three airstrips in France, serving over sixty million passengers a year.

11. Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (MIL:CPR.MI)

Founded in Milan by Gaspare Campari and headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, the Campari Group (BIT: CPR) is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super-premium brands, spread across the globe. With a global distribution reach in over 190 nations with leading positions in both Europe and the United States, the group is the sixth-largest player in the global spirits industry. The group’s home territory accounts for a fifth of the annual revenue due to the core brands Aperol, Campari, and Cinzano, with the group distributing imported spirits under contract, while the United States accounted for over 27% of the total sales, establishing itself as the groups largest market..

10. Moncler S.p.A. (MIL:MONC.MI)

Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Moncler S.p.A was founded in 1952 in France and bought by the Italian entrepreneur, Remo Ruffini in 2003. Engaged in the fashion industry, the company designs produces, and distributes clothing apparel and accessories through the brand name Moncler, with specialty products including sportswear, knitwear, skiwear, and outerwear. In December 2020, Moncler S.p.A owned a 100% stake in the Italian luxury sportswear brand Stone Island in a reported deal amounting to $1.36 billion. In addition to this, the company reported global revenue of $1.71 billion, making it one of the world’s leading luxury clothing brands. Operating in over 66 countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Turkey, and the United States, among others, through approximately 129 stores, as well as the wholesale distribution channels, Moncler S.p.A (BIT: MONC) is a notable Italian company.

9. Poste Italiane SpA (MIL:PST.MI)

Poste Italiane S.p.A (BIT: PST) is the Italian postal service headquartered in Rome, awarded exclusively with the task of providing Universal Postal Service throughout the country. The company operates in four segments: Mail, parcel, and distribution; payments and mobile; financial services and insurance services. The Mail, parcel, and distribution segment offers letter posts, parcel delivery, and logistics services. As of 31st December 2020, the company operated over 12,765 postal offices throughout Italy. The payments and mobile segment offers payment services, including card payments, as well as mobile telecommunications services, along with digital services for the public. The Financial Services segment is involved with the collection of savings, provision of payments, and foreign currency exchange services, while the Insurance segment offers life, vehicle, and casualty insurance products and prospects. As of 31st December 2020, Poste Italiane S.p.A (BIT: PST) is the largest logistics operator in Italy, and a leading player in the financial and insurance sectors, with total revenue of approximately $12.46 billion in 2020.

 8. Snam S.p.A. (MIL:SRG.MI)

Originally a subsidiary of the Italian energy company Eni S.p.A (BIT: ENI), Snam S.p.A (BIT: SRG) is an Italian energy infrastructure company, with company headquarters in San Donato Milanese, Italy. The company operates mostly in Italy, and through its international footprint, in other countries through associated companies, including Albania (AGSCo), Austria (TAG, GCA), France (Terega), Greece (DESFA), and the United Kingdom (InterConnector UK).

7. Nexi S.p.A. (MIL:NEXI.MI)

Formerly known as the Istituto Centrale delle Banche Populari Italiane S.p.A (ICBPI), Nexi S.p.A (BIT: NEXI) is a leading PayTech company. Listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (BIT) it provides electric money and payment services to banks, financial institutions, insurance firms, businesses, and the public administration in Italy. The company also offers services related to the configuration and maintenance of POS terminals, fraud prevention, dispute management, and customer support. The company manages over 12,800 ATMs and 480,000 e-banking workstations throughout Italy, earning total revenue of $1.23 billion in the year 2020.

6. UniCredit S.p.A. (MIL:UCG.MI)

Formed through the merger of Credito Italiano and Unicredito Holding Company, UniCredit S.p.A (BIT: UCG) is an international banking group headquartered in Milan, Italy. Ranked 34th largest in the world based on assets, it is Italy’s leading systematically important bank. As a Pan-European commercial bank, UniCredit S.p.A (BIT: UCG) commands a strong presence in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, with operations regarding corporate and investment banking, commercial banking, wealth management, real estate, and acquisitions, the group provides essential market products and services to over 13 core markets through its European banking network.

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Disclosure: None. Top 15 Most Valuable Italian Companies is originally published on Insider Monkey.