Eni overtakes Enel, which becomes queen of 2023 turnover in the industry and services ranking. Intesa Sanpaolo instead it maintains the scepter among banks by tangible assets. These are the main results that emerge from the 59th edition of the report on the Main Italian Companies carried out byMediobanca Research Area. The study analyzes the 2023 balance sheets of 2.881 companies, divided according to the sector in which they operate: 2.353 industrial and service companies, 30 leasing companies, 35 factoring and consumer credit companies, 365 banks and 98 insurance companies.
The 2023 turnover ranking
In a context characterized by the weakening of the prices of the main commodities, they are the publicly controlled oil and energy groups to dominate the 2023 turnover rankings of industry and services. On the first step of the podium there is in fact Eni which last year recorded a turnover of 93,7 billion euros. The supremacy of the oil giant is also confirmed by the data for the first half of 2024 with revenues of 44,7 billion euros compared to 38,7 of the main Italian electricity operator.
Compared to 2023, Enel therefore falls to second place with 92,9 billion. Third, at a far distance, gse with 55,1 billion euros in revenues.
“The energy-oil sector remains the most represented with nine players in the Top 20 despite the decline in turnover,” Mediobanca underlines in the report.
Moving forward with the ranking, it gains one step compared to 2022 Stellantis, first manufacturing operator in the ranking, which climbs to fourth position with 27,8 billion in turnover. Followed, in fifth place, by Telecom Italy (16,1 billion, was tenth) top player in the services sector. In sixth place is Prysmian (15,4 billion), seventh Leonardo with 15,3 billion, up 4 positions), eighth Edison (15 billion). Closing the top 10 Hera (14,8 billion) e A2a (14,4 billion).
Expanding the horizon to the top 20 companies. The following:
11) State Railways (14,3 billion),
12) Saipem (11,9),
13) Saras (11,4),
14) Italian Post Office (10,4),
15)Parmalat (10,2),
16) Kuwait Petroleum Italy (9,7),
17) Italian Petroli (9,6),
18) Edition (9,6),
19) Webuild (9,3),
20 Superit-Esselunga (9,1).
The first twenty positions are occupied by nine publicly-controlled companies, six privately-controlled Italian companies and five foreign-owned companies. As mentioned, nine belong to the energy sector, four to manufacturing and five to infrastructure management, construction or services.
Intesa dominates among banks, Unicredit second
Mediobanca has also drawn up the ranking of banks by tangible assets which, as mentioned, sees in first place Intesa Sanpaolo with 953,2 billion of tangible assets, 1,3% less than in 2022. Second Unicredit with 782,7 billion, (-8,5%). Bronze medal for Cassa Depositi e Prestiti with 396,2 billion (-1,1%).
In 2023, the report highlights, the Italian banking system recorded a aggregate profit of 34,6 billion, doubled compared to 17,3 billion in 2022, with dividends received increased by 47,8% and profitability indicators that have reached record levels, driven by high interest rates starting from the second half of 2022. The first two banks, Mediobanca notes, have tangible assets equal to 83% of Italian GDP.
Sector by sector rankings
Of the 1.571 companies with a ranking, 274 are those with sales over a billion (there were 278 in the last edition of the study). They, Mediobanca notes, "record a turnover of 1.075 billion euros, 34,2% of which attributable to publicly controlled companies". Twenty years earlier the ranking was made up of 1.399 companies and those with sales over one billion (in 2023 currency) were 160, for a turnover of 641,5 billion, of which 29,2% attributable to public companies.
As for the rankings by sector of activity, the food is led by Parmalat, followed by Cremonini and Barilla. In the beverages Coca-Cola Hbc Italia stands out, followed by Heineken Italia and Cantine Riunite & Civ. In paper include Sofide, Burgo Group and Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti.
The Queen of the pharmaceuticals is Menarini, followed by Chiesi Farmaceutici and Comifar (2,5 billion euros). In the system of Wood-Furniture the gold medal goes to Ikea Italia Retail, then Mondo Convenienza Holding and Inca Properties. For the electromechanical the leader is Nuovo Pignone Holding, preceding Ali Holding and Danieli.
And again: in the means of transport the primacy belongs to Stellantis Europe, followed by Leonardo and Iveco. fashion system is led by Prada, then Gucci and Luxottica. In glassmaker Stevanato Group stands out, followed by Berlin Packaging and OI Italy.
The Dynamic Societies of the Fourth Capitalism
I am finally 13 Dynamic Societies of the Fourth Capitalism, “i.e. Italian family-controlled manufacturing companies in the intermediate size range in the national economic system, which have grown in terms of turnover and profitability”. Specifically, these are “companies that in 2023 achieved an increase in turnover of at least 20% compared to 2022 and achieved an incidence of the result on turnover of no less than 4% in both 2023 and 2022”. The pharmaceutical and mechanical sectors prevail, both with three players, followed by clothing, food and metallurgical (each with 2 companies) and building products (1 operator). Among them Dompè Holdings and Pharmanutra.
