Switzerland’s Top 10 Major Export Companies

Below are Switzerland’s biggest export companies organized by asset value. Shown within parentheses is the primary industry in which each company operates. Also shown is the change in asset value as of December 2018 compared to 2017.

1. UBS (major bank): US$960.1 billion, up 3.4% from 2017
2. Glencore International (diversified metals, mining): $135.6 billion, up 8.8%
3. Novartis (pharmaceuticals): $135.5 billion, up 3.9%
4. Nestle (food processing): $133.8 billion, up 3.1%
5. Roche Holding (pharmaceuticals): $78.7 billion, up 4.1%
6. LafargeHolcim (construction materials): $65.3 billion, down -4.7%
7. ABB (industrial conglomerate): $43.6 billion, up 9.9%
8. Swisscom (telecommunications services): $23.9 billion, up 13.2%
9. TE Connectivity (electronics): $19.2 billion, up 9%
10. Lonza Group (specialized chemicals): $14.6 billion, up 1.4%

Nine of these large Swiss multinationals grew their asset values from 2017 to December 2018, led by telecommunication provider Swisscom’s 13.2% gain.

The lone decliner was construction materials supplier LafargeHolcim thanks to its -4.7% drop in asset value.

Sales is the life blood of most businesses, and particularly for firms that compete in international trade. Among Switzerland’s major exports-related businesses, the leading sales gainer was diversified metals and mining holding company Glencore International.

1. Glencore International: US$205.4 billion, up 33.6% from 2017
2. Nestle: $91.2 billion, up 0.4%
3. Roche Holding: $54.2 billion, up 5.6%
4. Novartis: $50.3 billion, up 3.7%
5. UBS: $40.3 billion, up 6.1%
6. ABB: $35 billion, up 3.4%
7. LafargeHolcim: $26.5 billion, down -3%
8. TE Connectivity: $14 billion, up 12.3%
9. Swisscom: $12.1 billion, up 2.4%
10. Lonza Group: $5.2 billion, up 23.8%

Specialized chemicals supplier Lonza Group posted the second-fastest sales increase via its 23.8% improvement year over year.

The only decliner among these top Swiss businesses was construction materials provider LafargeHolcim, thanks to its -3% slowdown compared to 2017.

Nine of Switzerland’s top 10 major export companies generated black ink as of December 2018. The only top Swiss business listed below that incurred a loss was construction materials company LafargeHolcim. To make the red ink even less palatable, LafargeHolcim slid from a $1.8 billion surplus in 2017 to its -$1.7 billion loss in the latest period.

1. Roche Holding: US$8.8 billion, down -9.5% from 2017
2. Novartis: $8.1 billion, up 20.9%
3. Nestle: $7.3 billion, down -15.7%
4. Glencore International: $5.8 billion, reversing a -$453.3 million deficit
5. ABB: $2.1 billion, up 7.1%
6. Swisscom: $1.6 billion, down -1.8%
7. UBS: $1.5 billion, down -55.9%
8. TE Connectivity: $1.3 billion, down -37.2%
9. Lonza Group: $740 million, up 141.8%
10. LafargeHolcim: -$1.7 billion, reversing a $1.8 billion surplus

At the other end of the spectrum, diversified metals and mining competitor Glencore International went from a -$453.3 million loss in 2017 to garner a robust $5.8 billion surplus.

Three of these top Swiss companies improved their profitability year over year, namely specialized chemicals supplier Lonza Group (up 141.8%), pharmaceuticals titan Novartis (up 20.9%) and industrial conglomerate ABB (up 7.1%).

Three of Switzerland’s major exports-related companies have their headquarters in Basel, a city located in the northwestern region of Switzerland on the river Rhine. Basel is surrounded by two of Switzerland’s most powerful trading partners, Germany and France.

1. ABB: Zurich
2. Glencore International: Baar
3. LafargeHolcim: Jona
4. Lonza Group: Basel
5. Nestle: Vevey
6. Novartis: Basel
7. Roche Holding: Basel
8. Swisscom: Worblaufen
9. TE Connectivity: Schaffhausen
10. UBS: Zurich

Another pair of these world-class Swiss businesses is headquartered in Zurich. Also spelled Zürich, Zurich is a hub for railways, roads and air traffic. Zurich is also Switzerland’s largest city.