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2018 Ranking of companies spending the most on research and development

The companies that bet the most on innovation: amount spent on research and development during the fiscal year 2018.

Share prices and capitalizations at 2026-11-05·Annual accounts for the fiscal year 2018·Calculated on 2026-11-08· 13014 companies ranked
Metric : research and development expenses for the fiscal year 2018 (published annual accounts). Currency : Amounts converted into US dollars at the exchange rate of the day of calculation; the amount in the currency of the accounts is repeated under each value. Only companies whose data is published are ranked: a missing value excludes the company, it is never replaced by zero or estimated.
#EnterpriseMarketSector R&D expenses (USD)
1Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN🇺🇸United StatesConsumer Cyclical28,84 billion $
2Alphabet Inc.GOOG🇺🇸United StatesTechnology21,42 billion $
3Roche Holding AGRO.SW🇨🇭EuropeHealthcare14,74 billion $12,09 Bn CHF
4Microsoft CorporationMSFT🇺🇸United StatesTechnology14,73 billion $
5Apple Inc.AAPL🇺🇸United StatesTechnology14,24 billion $
6Intel CorporationINTC🇺🇸United StatesTechnology13,54 billion $
7Volkswagen AGVOW3.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical13,51 billion $12,12 Md€
8Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.SSNLF🇰🇷KoreaTechnology13,46 billion $18 354 Md₩
9Johnson & JohnsonJNJ🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare10,78 billion $
10AbbVie Inc.ABBV🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare10,75 billion $
11Meta Platforms, Inc.META🇺🇸United StatesTechnology10,27 billion $
12Merck & Co., Inc.MRK🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare9,75 billion $
13Novartis AGNOVN.SW🇨🇭EuropeHealthcare8,49 billion $
14Pfizer Inc.PFE🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare7,97 billion $
15Bayerische Motoren Werke AGBMW.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical7,68 billion $6,89 Md€
16Mercedes-Benz Group AGMBG.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical7,34 billion $6,58 Md€
17SanofiSAN.PA🇫🇷FranceHealthcare7,08 billion $6,35 Md€
18Toyota Motor CorporationTOYOF🇯🇵JapanConsumer Cyclical6,72 billion $1 064 Bn¥
19Cisco Systems, Inc.CSCO🇺🇸United StatesTechnology6,33 billion $
20Siemens AGSIE.DE🇩🇪GermanyIndustrials6,20 billion $5,56 Md€
21Oracle CorporationORCL🇺🇸United StatesTechnology6,08 billion $
22Bayer AGBAYN.DE🇩🇪GermanyHealthcare5,69 billion $5,11 Md€
23QUALCOMM IncorporatedQCOM🇺🇸United StatesTechnology5,62 billion $
24International Business Machines CorporationIBM🇺🇸United StatesTechnology5,38 billion $
25Exor N.V.EXO.AS🇳🇱EuropeConsumer Cyclical5,17 billion $4,64 Md€
26Nokia OyjNOKIA.HE🇫🇮EuropeTechnology5,15 billion $4,62 Md€
27Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyBMY🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare5,13 billion $
28Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare5,05 billion $
29AstraZeneca PLCAZN🇬🇧United KingdomHealthcare5,00 billion $
30GSK plcGSK🇬🇧United KingdomHealthcare4,88 billion $3,66 Bn£
31Continental AGCON.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical4,77 billion $4,28 Md€
32Honda Motor Co., Ltd.HNDAF🇯🇵JapanConsumer Cyclical4,75 billion $751,86 Bn¥
33Dell Technologies Inc.DELL🇺🇸United StatesTechnology4,38 billion $
34SAP SESAP.DE🇩🇪GermanyTechnology4,04 billion $3,62 Md€
35Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)ERIC-B.ST🇸🇪EuropeTechnology3,93 billion $38,91 billion SEK
36Gilead Sciences, Inc.GILD🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare3,92 billion $
37Airbus SEEADSF🇳🇱EuropeIndustrials3,88 billion $3,48 Md€
38Broadcom Inc.AVGO🇺🇸United StatesTechnology3,77 billion $
39Amgen Inc.AMGN🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare3,74 billion $
40Tencent Holdings LimitedTCEHY🇨🇳ChinaCommunication Services3,44 billion $22,94 billion CN¥
41GE AerospaceGE🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials3,42 billion $
42Alibaba Group Holding LimitedBABAF🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical3,41 billion $22,75 billion CN¥
43Stellantis N.V.STLA🇳🇱EuropeConsumer Cyclical3,40 billion $3,05 Md€
44The Boeing CompanyBA🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials3,27 billion $
45Panasonic Holdings CorporationPCRFF🇯🇵JapanTechnology3,00 billion $475,29 Bn¥
46Renault S.A.RNO.PA🇫🇷FranceConsumer Cyclical2,90 billion $2,60 Md€
47Sony Group CorporationSONY🇯🇵JapanTechnology2,89 billion $458,52 Bn¥
48DENSO CorporationDNZOY🇺🇸United StatesConsumer Cyclical2,82 billion $447,38 Bn¥
49Biogen Inc.BIIB🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare2,71 billion $
50Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company LimitedTSM🇹🇼TaiwanTechnology2,62 billion $85,90 Bn NT$
51Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.HNHPF🇹🇼TaiwanTechnology2,58 billion $84,43 Bn NT$
52ActiveOps PlcAOM.L🇬🇧United KingdomTechnology2,47 billion $1,85 Bn£
53RTX CorporationRTX🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials2,46 billion $
54Merck KGaAMRK.DE🇩🇪GermanyHealthcare2,45 billion $2,20 Md€
55Western Digital CorporationWDC🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,40 billion $
56Baidu, Inc.BAIDF🇨🇳ChinaCommunication Services2,36 billion $15,77 billion CN¥
57Micron Technology, Inc.MU🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,34 billion $
58Takeda Pharmaceutical Company LimitedTAK🇯🇵JapanHealthcare2,32 billion $368,26 Bn¥
59SAIC Motor Corporation Limited600104.SS🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical2,31 billion $15,39 billion CN¥
60Abbott LaboratoriesABT🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare2,29 billion $
61Porsche AG VzP911.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical2,28 billion $2,04 Md€
62Medtronic plcMDT🇮🇪EuropeHealthcare2,26 billion $
63BASF SeBAS.DE🇩🇪GermanyBasic Materials2,22 billion $1,99 Md€
64Novo Nordisk A/SNOVO-B.CO🇩🇰EuropeHealthcare2,21 billion $14,80 Bn DKK
65PetroChina Company LimitedPCCYF🇺🇸United StatesEnergy2,11 billion $14,09 billion CN¥
66Nestlé S.A.NESN.SW🇨🇭EuropeConsumer Defensive2,06 billion $1,69 Bn CHF
67Hitachi, Ltd.HTHIF🇯🇵JapanIndustrials2,04 billion $323,14 Bn¥
68Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.REGN🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare2,04 billion $
69Applied Materials, Inc.AMAT🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,02 billion $
70China Railway Group LimitedCRWOF🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials2,01 billion $13,44 billion CN¥
71BAE Systems plcBAESY🇬🇧United KingdomIndustrials2,01 billion $1,51 Bn£
72Canon Inc.CAJPY🇯🇵JapanTechnology1,99 billion $315,84 Bn¥
73Koninklijke Philips N.V.PHIA.AS🇳🇱EuropeHealthcare1,96 billion $1,76 Md€
74Valeo SEFR.PA🇫🇷FranceConsumer Cyclical1,86 billion $1,67 Md€
75Caterpillar Inc.CAT🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials1,85 billion $
76JD.com, Inc.JDCMF🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical1,82 billion $12,14 billion CN¥
773M CompanyMMM🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials1,82 billion $
78Honeywell International Inc.HON🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials1,81 billion $
79NVIDIA CorporationNVDA🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,80 billion $
80MediaTek Inc.2454.TW🇹🇼TaiwanTechnology1,76 billion $57,55 Bn NT$
81China Railway Construction Corporation Limited601186.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials1,73 billion $11,57 billion CN¥
82LG Electronics Inc.066575.KS🇰🇷KoreaTechnology1,70 billion $2 324 Md₩
83NXP Semiconductors N.V.NXPI🇳🇱EuropeTechnology1,70 billion $
84Daimler Truck Holding AGDTG.DE🇩🇪GermanyIndustrials1,68 billion $1,50 Md€
85SK hynix Inc.000660.KS🇰🇷KoreaTechnology1,67 billion $2 284 Md₩
86Hewlett Packard Enterprise CompanyHPE🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,66 billion $
87Deere & CompanyDE🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials1,66 billion $
88ASML Holding N.V.ASML.AS🇳🇱EuropeTechnology1,64 billion $1,47 Md€
89ZTE CorporationZTCOF🇨🇳ChinaTechnology1,63 billion $10,91 billion CN¥
90CRRC Corporation Limited601766.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials1,63 billion $10,90 billion CN¥
91Expedia Group, Inc.EXPE🇺🇸United StatesConsumer Cyclical1,62 billion $
92AB Volvo (publ)VOLV-B.ST🇸🇪EuropeIndustrials1,61 billion $15,90 billion SEK
93Texas Instruments IncorporatedTXN🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,56 billion $
94Salesforce, Inc.CRM🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,55 billion $
95Adobe Inc.ADBE🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,54 billion $
96Dow Inc.DOW🇺🇸United StatesBasic Materials1,54 billion $
97Uber Technologies, Inc.UBER🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,50 billion $
98China Communications Construction Company Limited601800.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials1,50 billion $10,01 billion CN¥
99Daiichi Sankyo Company, LimitedDSKYF🇯🇵JapanHealthcare1,49 billion $236,00 Bn¥
100Tesla, Inc.TSLA🇺🇸United StatesConsumer Cyclical1,46 billion $
Raw data (JSON)

⚠ Ranking provided for information purposes, based on public data. It does not constitute investment advice. Values may contain source errors and change with financial publications.

Frequently Asked Questions

About this ranking

How is this 2018 ranking established?
It ranks companies by their research and development expenses for the fiscal year 2018, based on published annual accounts and data. No value is estimated: a company without this data is simply excluded.
Are the amounts comparable between countries?
Yes: amounts are converted to US dollars at the exchange rate of the calculation day, and the amount in the account currency is repeated under each value.
Is this ranking investment advice?
No. It is provided purely for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Investing involves the risk of capital loss.

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