Top 30 companies of Germany in the DAX index 2019

The largest companies in Germany greatly influence the country and world economy. The top 30 publicly traded companies of Germany, that make up the DAX index, are presented here together with their activities, logos, sectors and useful links.

In Germany, companies generally become Aktiengesellschaft, abbreviated AG, meaning corporation limited by share ownership, or Societas Europaea, abbreviated SE, to get listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse). Even though they must follow the rules of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), companies that become publicly listed can then gain access to capital from investors who buy shares.

The DAX Index

To facilitate the comprehension of the evolution of the German stock market and the broader economy, the stocks of the 30 largest companies by market capitalization are aggregated in the Deutscher Aktienindex, or DAX, which is the blue-chip stock market index of Germany.

The real-time quotation of the DAX index can be followed with convenient graphical tools from a number of sources, including Deutsche Boerse, Google Finance, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, etc.

For more information on other world-leading companies, check our series of posts on Top Companies, and for more information on the country, read our articles on Top Business Resources for Germany.

List of the 30 largest companies in the Frankfurt Stock Exchange by market capitalization

To help you learn more about German corporations, the 30 components of the DAX index, which are also the largest companies in the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, are listed hereafter. Each company is presented in detail, with its main sector, operations, a direct link to its website, market capitalization, logo and stock symbol.

Companies are ranked by market capitalization in Euros, as of the effective close of Thursday, April 11, 2019.

Note that if you are searching for information on these companies to invest in their stocks, make sure you know what you are doing as your investment will be subject to significant risks with the evolution of stock prices. To learn more about investing in the stock market and managing your portfolio, check our post on the best online courses on stock investing and trading.

Quick links to the 30 largest publicly listed companies of Germany in the DAX index

To ease your browsing in this long list, here are quick links to go directly to the details of any of the top 30 German companies, components of the DAX index.

30. ThyssenKrupp

Sector: Industrial, manufacturing

ThyssenKrupp AG is a multinational conglomerate involved in industrial engineering and steel production. One of the world’s largest steel producers, ThyssenKrupp also produces a range of machines and industrial services for high-speed trains, elevators, and shipbuilding with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, a key subsidiary company within ThyssenKrupp’s 670 subsidiaries worldwide, specialized in the manufacturing of frigates, corvettes, and submarines.

Website: thyssenkrupp.com – Market Cap.: € 7.93 Billion – Stock symbol: TKA

29. Covestro

Sector: Chemicals

Covestro AG, formerly part of the Bayer MaterialScience, is a company specialized in materials productions. It provides a wide range of products including coatings and adhesives, polyurethanes and polycarbonates, which are primarily used in the industries of automotive manufacturing and supply, electrical engineering and electronics, construction and home products, and sports and leisure.

Website: covestro.com – Market Cap.: € 9.82 Billion – Stock symbol: 1COV

28. Lufthansa

Sector: Transport Aviation

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, commonly known as Lufthansa, is the largest airline in Germany and, with its subsidiaries, the largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. Lufthansa owns several airlines including Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, including Germanwings, operating in total more than 700 aircraft, together with aviation-related companies including Lufthansa Technik and LSG Sky Chefs.

Website: lufthansa.com – Market Cap.: € 10.23 Billion – Stock symbol: LHA

27. Merck

Sector: Pharmaceuticals

The Merck Group, commonly known as Merck, is a multinational pharmaceutical, chemical, and life sciences company. Founded in 1668, Merck has become one of the largest pharmaceutical and chemical companies in the world, providing a wide array of drugs for healthcare, especially for oncology and cardio-metabolic care. In chemistry, it is especially involved in pigments and liquid crystals, and its life science activities are focused on bioscience, lab solutions, and process solutions. Its American subsidiary Merck & Co., now one of the largest companies in the US, was separated from Merck during the First World War.

Website: merckgroup.com – Market Cap.: € 12.80 Billion – Stock symbol: MRK

26. Wirecard

Sector: Financial Technology

Wirecard AG is a global internet technology and financial services company. It provides electronic payment transaction solutions and risk management, together with issuing and processing of physical and virtual cards. Through its subsidiaries, Wirecard is involved in e-money and mobile payment solutions, banking in Germany, and omnichannel payment solutions to the US market.

Website: wirecard.com – Market Cap.: € 13.48 Billion – Stock symbol: WDI

25. HeidelbergCement

Sector: Materials

HeidelbergCement is a multinational company specialized in building materials. A world leader in construction aggregates, cement, and ready-mixed concrete, HeidelbergCement operates about 140 cement plants, more than 1,500 ready-mixed concrete production sites and over 600 aggregates quarries in 60 countries.

Website: heidelbergcement.com – Market Cap.: € 13.96 Billion – Stock symbol: HEI

24. RWE

Sector: Energy

RWE AG is a utility company. Operating primarily in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, RWE is involved in electricity generation and distribution, renewable energy production, as well as exploration, production, transportation, and distribution of natural gas.

Website: group.rwe – Market Cap.: € 14.60 Billion – Stock symbol: RWE

23. Deutsche Bank

Sector: Financials

Deutsche Bank AG is a multinational investment bank and financial services company. It is involved in three key segments: private and commercial bank, corporate and investment bank and asset management. Operating in 58 countries, Deutsche Bank is the largest German banking institution and one of the world’s largest banks.

Website: db.com – Market Cap.: € 15.41 Billion – Stock symbol: DBK

22. Deutsche Börse

Sector: Securities

Deutsche Börse AG, also known as the Deutsche Börse Group, is the company organizing the marketplace for trading company shares and other securities, and a provider of transaction services. Granting access to capital markets to companies and investors through the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse), Deutsche Börse had over 765 companies listed with a combined capitalization above 1.4 trillion Euros as of December 2010.

Website: deutsche-boerse.com – Market Cap.: € 21.80 Billion – Stock symbol: DB1

21. E.ON

Sector: Energy

E.ON SE is an electric utility company. Operating in more than 30 countries, E.ON is primarily engaged in the generation and distribution of electricity, notably through nuclear power plants, wind farms, and a coal power station. It is also involved in the exploration, production, transportation, and distribution of natural gas, as well as in business services for finance, HR and IT.

Website: eon.com – Market Cap.: € 22.07 Billion – Stock symbol: EOAN

20. Fresenius Medical Care

Sector: Healthcare

Fresenius Medical Care is a medical supplies company, particularly focused on renal dialysis. It provides a range of products to tackle kidney failure such as dialysis machines, dialyzers, and related disposables. Fresenius Medical Care is 30% owned by the German healthcare company Fresenius Group.

Website: freseniusmedicalcare.com – Market Cap.: € 22.80 Billion – Stock symbol: FME

19. Infineon Technologies

Sector: Semiconductors

Infineon Technologies AG is a semiconductor manufacturer. Founded in 1999, when it separated from its former parent company, Siemens AG. It is producing specialized semiconductor products for four business areas: automotive, industrial power control, power management and multimarket, digital security solutions.

Website: infineon.com – Market Cap.: € 22.82 Billion – Stock symbol: IFX

18. Vonovia

Sector: Real estate

Vonovia SE is a residential property company. Tracing its origins to 2001 and the merger between Deutsche Annington and GAGFAH, Vonovia has become the largest housing company and private landlord in Germany, owning 400,000 homes across the country.

Website: vonovia.de – Market Cap.: € 23.34 Billion – Stock symbol: VNA

17. Beiersdorf

Sector: Consumer goods and chemicals

Beiersdorf AG is a company specialized in personal care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives. Especially involved in skincare, Beiersdorf owns and manages multiple brands including Nivea, Eucerin, La Prairie, Hansaplast, Labello and more. Beiersdorf is controlled at Maxingvest AG, which owns 50.49% of shares.

Website: beiersdorf.com – Market Cap.: € 24.08 Billion – Stock symbol: BEI

16. Fresenius

Sector: Healthcare

Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA is a company dedicated to healthcare. Also known as the Fresenius Group, it is primarily conducting its activities through four divisions: it owns 30.8% of Fresenius Medical Care, operates hospitals with Fresenius Helios, provides drugs, clinical nutrition products, and medical devices with Fresenius Kabi, and it develops and manages healthcare facilities through Fresenius Vamed.

Website: fresenius.com – Market Cap.: € 28.62 Billion – Stock symbol: FRE

15. Continental

Sector: Manufacturing

Continental AG is an automotive parts manufacturing company. It provides different components for automotive and transports, including brake systems, interior electronics, automotive safety, powertrain and chassis components, tachographs and tires.

Website: continental-corporation.com – Market Cap.: € 30.07 Billion – Stock symbol: CON

14. Munich Re

Sector: Insurance

Munich Re Group, standing for Munich Reinsurance Company, is a company specialized in reinsurance. One of the world-leading reinsurers, Munich Re primarily provides insurance solutions, risk management, and advice to insurance companies. It is also operating directly in the provision of insurance products to end customers, through Ergo, its main insurance subsidiary.

Website: munichre.com – Market Cap.: € 31.99 Billion – Stock symbol: MUV2

13. Henkel

Sector: Consumer goods and chemicals

Henkel AG & Company, KGaA, is a multinational chemical and consumer goods company operating in the consumer and industrial sectors. Founded in 1876, Henkel’s activities are organized in three business units, laundry and home care, beauty care, and adhesive technologies. It is better known through some of the brands it owns, including Loctite, Schwarzkopf, Persil, and Fa.

Website: henkel.com – Market Cap.: € 36.99 Billion – Stock symbol: HEN3

12. Deutsche Post

Sector: Logistics

Deutsche Post AG, better known under its trade name, Deutsche Post DHL Group, is a multinational package delivery and supply chain management company. Deutsche Post is the world’s largest courier company and it is also Europe’s largest postal company. Through its “Express” division, DHL, the group operates in more than 220 countries and territories.

Website: dpdhl.com – Market Cap.: € 37.18 Billion – Stock symbol: DPW

11. Adidas

Sector: Clothing

Adidas AG is a multinational corporation manufacturing shoes, clothing, and accessories. Tracing its origins to 1920, Adidas has become the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and second-largest in the world, after Nike. Trading through the Adidas brand, the Adidas Group also owns other brands including Reebok, TaylorMade golf company, Runtastic and 8.33% of the German football club Bayern Munich.

Website: adidas-group.com – Market Cap.: € 45.25 Billion – Stock symbol: ADS

10. BMW

Sector: Automotive

BMW AG, initial for the original name Bayerische Motoren Werke in German, is a multinational company producing automobiles and motorcycles. Founded in 1916, BMW operates under its own trade name, and it owns and commercializes the brands Mini and Rolls-Royce. It is also involved in motorsports, including touring cars, Formula 1, sports cars and the Isle of Man TT.

Website: bmw.com – Market Cap.: € 47.86 Billion – Stock symbol: BMW

9. Bayer

Sector: Pharmaceuticals and chemicals

Bayer AG is a multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company. Founded in Barmen in 1863, Bayer has become one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, with activities in human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare products, agricultural chemicals, seeds, and biotechnology products. Since its acquisition of Monsanto in 2018, its CropScience division also produces genetically modified crops and pesticides.

Website: bayer.com – Market Cap.: € 56.88 Billion – Stock symbol: BAYN

8. Daimler

Sector: Automotive

Daimler AG is a multinational automotive corporation. Tracing its origins to 1926, Daimler has expanded to own and possess shares in multiple manufacturers of cars, buses, trucks, and motorcycles including Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Smart Automobile, Detroit Diesel, Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Setra, BharatBenz, Mitsubishi Fuso, MV Agusta, Denza, Kamaz, and Beijing Automotive Group.

Website: daimler.com – Market Cap.: € 59.12 Billion – Stock symbol: DAI

7. BASF

Sector: Chemicals

BASF SE is a multinational chemical company. Founded in 1865, BASF has become the largest chemical producer in the world operating a number of subsidiaries and joint ventures in more than 80 countries and hundreds of production sites in Europe, Asia, Australia, the Americas, and Africa. Its products include chemicals, plastics, performance products, functional solutions, agricultural solutions, and oil and gas.

Website: basf.com – Market Cap.: € 63.90 Billion – Stock symbol: BAS

6. Deutsche Telekom

Sector: Telecommunications

Deutsche Telekom AG, also known as DT, is a telecommunications company. The largest telecommunications provider in Europe by revenue, Deutsche Telekom provides multiple products including fixed-line, mobile phone, broadband, digital television, digital media, IT services and networking solutions. As of May 2019, the German government directly owns 14.5% of Deutsche Telekom, and 17.4% through the government bank KfW.

Website: telekom.com – Market Cap.: € 70.45 Billion – Stock symbol: DTE

5. Volkswagen

Sector: Automotive

Volkswagen AG is a multinational automotive manufacturing company. Founded in 1937, Volkswagen Group is the world’s largest car producer by sales, owning the flagship Volkswagen brand as well as Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat, Skoda among others. It provides passenger and commercial vehicles, motorcycles, engines, and turbomachinery, with associated services for financing, leasing and fleet management. The German state of Lower Saxony holds 12.7% of Volkswagen shares.

Website: volkswagenag.com – Market Cap.: € 76.64 Billion – Stock symbol: VOW3

4. Siemens

Sector: Industrial, electronics

Siemens AG is a multinational conglomerate company. Founded in 1847, Siemens is the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe, operating in a wide range of industries, including power and gas, wind power and renewables, power generation services, energy management, building technologies, mobility, digital factory, process industries and drives, financial services, medical diagnostics equipment and services, automation and drive system for steel mills.

Website: siemens.com – Market Cap.: € 87.13 Billion – Stock symbol: SIE

3. Allianz

Sector: Insurance

Allianz SE is a multinational financial services company. Founded in 1890, Allianz is now one of the world’s largest insurer, operating in more than 70 countries. It is primarily operating in insurance and asset management through its subsidiaries of PIMCO, Allianz Global Investors and Allianz Real Estate, and it also has a 14% controlling stake in Commerzbank.

Website: allianz.com – Market Cap.: € 88.29 Billion – Stock symbol: ALV

2. Linde

Sector: Industrial gases

Fruit of the merger between Linde AG of Germany and Praxair of the United States, Linde PLC is an Irish-domiciled multinational gas and chemical company whose shares are traded in Germany and the United States. With over 600 affiliated companies in more than 100 countries, Linde is the world’s largest industrial gas company. Tracing its origins to 1879, Lined is now operating in industrial gases and health care, engineering and supply chain services through its subsidiary Gist Limited.

Website: lindeplc.com – Market Cap.: € 88.70 Billion – Stock symbol: LIN

1. SAP

Sector: Software

SAP SE, initials of Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung (Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing) is a multinational software corporation. SAP provides enterprise software for operations and customer relations management. Founded in 1972, SAP was originally dedicated to Enterprise Resources Planning, before diversifying in the 2010s in cloud-based products and services and the Internet of Things – IoT.

Website: sap.com – Market Cap.: € 122.73 Billion – Stock symbol: SAP

Here are the 30 largest German public companies on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Do you think they are worth their market capitalization? Are their stocks a good investment right now? Do they have too much economic power… and maybe political power too?

Leave your comments below!