The top ten largest private companies on the Romanian marketposted around 14 billion euros in turnover last year, i.e. 12% ofRomania's GDP, 4 billion euros less than the amounts collected bythe top ten companies in 2008, according to a ZF analysis.
The leader did not change after the first year of crisis, withPetrom remaining the biggest Romanian company, despite recordingthe second-biggest turnover decline, by over 30%. The local giantposted a little over 3 billion euros in turnover, almost 1 billionahead of the second-ranking company.
The only climbers in the top 10 were Automobile Dacia, with salesdriven by exports, not by the internal market, British AmericanTobacco (BAT - Kent producer), amid a price increase, and Kaufland,a retailer that saw a major expansion in 2009. BAT in fact also sawthe most spectacular advance in the top 10, climbing from no. 14 tono. 7.
"Any two-digit decline is very significant if we draw comparisonswith a company in Europe or in America, where a one or two percentdrop is a tragedy. There are sectors where 30% declines exceedprofit margins. Companies end up losing money instantly," said DoruLionachescu, main partner of Capital Partners.
