Only 145 companies in Romania, out of more than 800,000 active businesses, managed to grow their revenues and remain profitable every year between 2008 and 2024, according to an analysis published by business intelligence platform Termene.ro. The study found that these firms, representing just one in every 5,500 companies (or 0.02% of the total), generated a combined turnover of RON 56.6 billion last year, up from RON 5.9 billion in 2008.
Over the 17-year period, their net profits multiplied more than 20 times, reaching RON 4.2 billion in 2024, while the number of employees rose from 21,000 to 60,000.
Local DIY retailer Dedeman ranked as the most profitable company, with cumulative earnings of RON 13.95 billion, outperforming supermarket chain Kaufland Romania, which recorded RON 9.82 billion.
Other companies in the top six included Alliance Healthcare Romania, courier firm Fan Courier Express, IBM Romania, and steel producer Bilka Steel, which together accounted for RON 28.4 billion in profits.
The analysis highlighted the dominance of Romanian-owned firms in this elite group, with 111 of the 145 companies, or 76%, founded and run by local entrepreneurs. Foreign-owned businesses represented 17% and state-owned firms less than 7%.
“These data dismantle the myth that only multinationals can deliver sustainable performance in Romania. Romanian entrepreneurs clearly lead this economic elite,” said Ionut Bonoiu, Head of Content and Clarity at Termene.ro.
According to the same source, a smaller group of just four firms achieved what the study described as “extreme performance” by posting annual growth of at least 10% each year since 2008. Leading this ultra-select category was Autonom Services, a mobility solutions company that has become one of Romania’s most consistent performers.
The report also emphasized the resilience of these companies, which navigated three major crises during the period: the 2008–2009 financial downturn, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the inflationary and energy shocks of 2022–2023.
Their industries range from retail and IT to pharmaceuticals, logistics, utilities, and steel, showing that resilience was not limited to one sector.
The study found that while 12,500 companies managed to grow for five consecutive years and 1,235 sustained growth for a decade, only 145 maintained a steady upward trajectory for the full 17-year period, making them the most resilient players in Romania’s economy.
The study, available here, covers the period 2008–2024 and analyzes exclusively companies with a turnover of at least RON 10 million that recorded revenue growth and positive net profit in every year of that period. The analysis is based on official data from the Termene.ro database.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Natanael Alfredo/Dreamstime.com)
Leave a Reply