Europe is home to some of the largest businesses in the world. As in other countries, the coronavirus pandemic created havoc in Europe as well, and has negatively affected these companies, which lost a significant portion of their market cap. Now, the economy is starting to rebound and so are these businesses. Let’s take a look at the top ten public businesses in Europe.
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Top ten public businesses in Europe
Following are the top ten public businesses in Europe on the basis of market cap (as of Dec. 14, 2020):
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SAP SE (EUR 118.601 billion)
Founded in 1972, it is the biggest European software company. SAP is headquartered in Weinheim, Germany, but it serves customers in more than 180 countries. In 2019, the revenue for the company was more than 27 billion euros. The company employs over 100,000 people in more than 140 countries. It is the market leader in enterprise application software, and claims that “77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAP system.”
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Accenture (EUR 136.062 billion)
Founded in 1989, it is a multinational professional services company. It is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and employs about half a million employees in over a hundred countries. In 2019, the company reported revenue of $43.2 billion. The purpose of the company is to “deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity.” Accenture holds more than 4,800 patents, while about 2,500 of its patents are pending worldwide.
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Novo Nordisk (EUR 145.23 billion)
Founded in 1923, it is the largest company in Denmark. The pharmaceutical company is headquartered just outside Copenhagen, Denmark. It has more than 44,000 employees and has 80 offices around the world to serve customers in 170 countries.
As per the company’s website, its purpose is to “drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, and rare blood and rare endocrine diseases.”
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Prosus (EUR 148.811 billion)
Founded in 1997, it is a global consumer internet group. The company is headquartered in
Amsterdam, Netherlands, and is among the largest technology investors in the world. Prosus, majority owned by Naspers, helps to develop consumer internet companies that “empower people and enrich communities.”
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ASML Holding (EUR 156.06 billion)
Founded in 1984, it is the Netherland's largest company. ASML is headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands and is the largest supplier of photolithography systems for the semiconductor industry in the world. The company has more than 24,000 employees. ASML serves customers worldwide and has more than 60 service points in sixteen countries.
“We provide chipmakers with everything they need – hardware, software and services – to mass produce patterns on silicon through lithography,” the company says.
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L'oreal (EUR 169.92 billion)
Founded in 1919, it is the largest cosmetics company in the world. It also features among the top 100 companies in the world. Headquartered in Clichy, France, the company deals in all kinds of beauty products, including skin care, hair care, perfume, sun protection and more.
As per the company’s website, its mission is to offer “all women and men worldwide the best of cosmetics innovation in terms of quality, efficacy and safety.”
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Novartis (EUR 173.567 billion)
Novartis was formed in 1996 following the merger of Ciba-Geigy merged with Sandoz. It is based in Basel, Switzerland. In 2019, the revenue of the company was about $47.5 billion, while its net income was around $12 billion. As with other big pharma companies, Novartis also has faced numerous allegations, including marketing violations, bribery and more.
As per the company’s website, its strategy is to “build a leading, focused medicines company powered by advanced therapy platforms and data science.”
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Roche (EUR 241.79 billion)
Founded in 1896, it is a Swiss pharmaceutical company. The headquarters of the company is in Basel, Switzerland, and employs about 100,000 employees. In 2019, the revenue of the company was about $70 billion. It has consistently featured among the largest biotech companies globally, and is a leading provider of treatment for cancer.
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LVMH (EUR 253.16 billion)
Founded in 1987, the full name of the company is Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. The company came into existence following the merger of Louis Vuitton and Moet Hennessy, Moet & Chandon. LVMH is a conglomerate that deals in luxury goods, including cosmetics, perfumes, watches, fashion accessories, as well as wines and spirits. It is also among the largest beverage companies in the world, thanks to its wine and spirits business.
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Nestle (EUR 267.42 billion)
Founded in 1866, it is the largest food and beverages company in the entire world. The headquarters of the company is in Vaud, Switzerland, but it has a presence in almost every country in the world. Nestle deals in milk, bottled water, cereal, confectionary items, ice cream, frozen food, pet food, baby food, medical food and more. The company employs about 339,000 people across the world. Nestle owns some of the world’s most popular brands, including Stouffer's, Vittel, Maggi, Nespresso, Nescafé, Kit Kat, Smarties and Nesquik.
