Largest private companies of 2009

The top ten largest private companies on the Romanian market posted around 14 billion euros in turnover last year, i.e. 12% of Romania’s GDP, 4 billion euros less than the amounts collected by the top ten companies in 2008, according to a ZF analysis.
The leader did not change after the first year of crisis, with Petrom remaining the biggest Romanian company, despite recording the second-biggest turnover decline, by over 30%. The local giant posted a little over 3 billion euros in turnover, almost 1 billion ahead of the second-ranking company.
The only climbers in the top 10 were Automobile Dacia, with sales driven by exports, not by the internal market, British American Tobacco (BAT – Kent producer), amid a price increase, and Kaufland, a retailer that saw a major expansion in 2009. BAT in fact also saw the most spectacular advance in the top 10, climbing from no. 14 to no. 7.
“Any two-digit decline is very significant if we draw comparisons with a company in Europe or in America, where a one or two percent drop is a tragedy. There are sectors where 30% declines exceed profit margins. Companies end up losing money instantly,” said Doru Lionachescu, main partner of Capital Partners.