Romanian-owned capital is gaining ground in the local economy, now accounting for 53% of the country’s top 5,000 companies, according to an analysis by PwC. The findings highlight a growing influence of domestic entrepreneurs across multiple sectors, despite foreign-owned companies continuing to dominate overall revenues.
While fewer in number, companies with foreign capital still generate around two-thirds of the combined turnover of the top 5,000 firms. Moreover, nearly three quarters of companies reporting revenues above one billion lei in 2024 are foreign-owned.
Over the past two years, the combined turnover of private Romanian companies in the top 5,000 increased by 6.5%, while the cumulative revenues of foreign-owned companies declined by 2%, despite a modest rebound in 2024 compared to 2023.
Net profits generated by Romanian-owned private companies rose by 2% over the same period, compared to a 1% decline among foreign-owned firms. In 2024, Romanian companies posted a net profit margin of 6.2%, versus 5% for companies with foreign capital.
The total number of employees working for Romanian private companies increased by nearly 40,000 in 2024 compared to 2022, while employment levels among foreign-owned companies remained broadly unchanged. Overall, foreign companies still employ over 59% of the total workforce within the top 5,000.
Sectoral data shows particularly strong domestic ownership in construction, where Romanian companies generate 71% of cumulative revenues, driven largely by their involvement in major infrastructure projects such as motorway construction.
Local capital also has a strong footprint in transport and storage, with a 61% share, and in the energy sector, where Romanian ownership accounts for 44%, mainly due to state-controlled companies.
In retail and trade, Romanian entrepreneurial companies generated cumulative revenues of 246.5 billion lei, representing 36.5% of the sector total within the top 5,000 firms.
Regionally, the distribution of companies highlights a strong concentration of Romanian-owned entrepreneurship in Moldova, where more than 80% of entities are owned by domestic investors. By contrast, Bucharest–Ilfov remains dominated by foreign capital, with foreign-owned companies accounting for 57% of the region’s top businesses.
Articolul Romanian-owned companies now account for over half of the country’s top 5,000 businesses a fost publicat prima dată în Money Buzz! • Știri Economice, Știri Financiare, Știri Business