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2021 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 2021.

Share prices and capitalizations at 2026-11-05·Annual accounts for the fiscal year 2021·Calculated on 2026-11-08· 15450 companies ranked
Metric : research and development expenses for the fiscal year 2021 (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 Cyclical56,05 billion $
2Alphabet Inc.GOOG🇺🇸United StatesTechnology31,56 billion $
3Meta Platforms, Inc.META🇺🇸United StatesTechnology24,66 billion $
4Apple Inc.AAPL🇺🇸United StatesTechnology21,91 billion $
5Microsoft CorporationMSFT🇺🇸United StatesTechnology20,72 billion $
6Roche Holding AGRO.SW🇨🇭EuropeHealthcare18,03 billion $14,80 Bn CHF
7Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.SSNLF🇰🇷KoreaTechnology16,43 billion $22 403 Md₩
8Intel CorporationINTC🇺🇸United StatesTechnology15,19 billion $
9Johnson & JohnsonJNJ🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare14,28 billion $
10Volkswagen AGVOW3.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical14,26 billion $12,79 Md€
11Pfizer Inc.PFE🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare13,83 billion $
12Merck & Co., Inc.MRK🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare12,24 billion $
13Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyBMY🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare9,53 billion $
14Novartis AGNOVN.SW🇨🇭EuropeHealthcare8,64 billion $
15Alibaba Group Holding LimitedBABAF🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical8,58 billion $57,24 billion CN¥
16AstraZeneca PLCAZN🇬🇧United KingdomHealthcare8,38 billion $
17AbbVie Inc.ABBV🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare8,05 billion $
18Tencent Holdings LimitedTCEHY🇨🇳ChinaCommunication Services7,78 billion $51,88 billion CN¥
19QUALCOMM IncorporatedQCOM🇺🇸United StatesTechnology7,18 billion $
20Bayerische Motoren Werke AGBMW.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical7,02 billion $6,30 Md€
21Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare6,93 billion $
22Toyota Motor CorporationTOYOF🇯🇵JapanConsumer Cyclical6,88 billion $1 090 Bn¥
23Cisco Systems, Inc.CSCO🇺🇸United StatesTechnology6,55 billion $
24Oracle CorporationORCL🇺🇸United StatesTechnology6,53 billion $
25International Business Machines CorporationIBM🇺🇸United StatesTechnology6,49 billion $
26SanofiSAN.PA🇫🇷FranceHealthcare6,35 billion $5,69 Md€
27Amgen Inc.AMGN🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare6,32 billion $
28Mercedes-Benz Group AGMBG.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical6,09 billion $5,47 Md€
29Bayer AGBAYN.DE🇩🇪GermanyHealthcare6,03 billion $5,41 Md€
30China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited601668.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials6,00 billion $40,02 billion CN¥
31SAP SESAP.DE🇩🇪GermanyTechnology5,88 billion $5,27 Md€
32GSK plcGSK🇬🇧United KingdomHealthcare5,86 billion $4,39 Bn£
33Siemens AGSIE.DE🇩🇪GermanyIndustrials5,42 billion $4,86 Md€
34Stellantis N.V.STLA🇳🇱EuropeConsumer Cyclical5,00 billion $4,49 Md€
35Broadcom Inc.AVGO🇺🇸United StatesTechnology4,85 billion $
36Nokia OyjNOKIA.HE🇫🇮EuropeTechnology4,70 billion $4,21 Md€
37Honda Motor Co., Ltd.HNDAF🇯🇵JapanConsumer Cyclical4,66 billion $738,89 Bn¥
38Gilead Sciences, Inc.GILD🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare4,60 billion $
39Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)ERIC-B.ST🇸🇪EuropeTechnology4,25 billion $42,07 billion SEK
40NVIDIA CorporationNVDA🇺🇸United StatesTechnology3,92 billion $
41Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company LimitedTSM🇹🇼TaiwanTechnology3,81 billion $124,73 Bn NT$
42Baidu, Inc.BAIDF🇨🇳ChinaCommunication Services3,74 billion $24,94 billion CN¥
43China Railway Group LimitedCRWOF🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials3,71 billion $24,76 billion CN¥
44Salesforce, Inc.CRM🇺🇸United StatesTechnology3,60 billion $
45Sony Group CorporationSONY🇯🇵JapanTechnology3,44 billion $545,36 Bn¥
46Biogen Inc.BIIB🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare3,40 billion $
47China Communications Construction Company Limited601800.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials3,39 billion $22,59 billion CN¥
48Takeda Pharmaceutical Company LimitedTAK🇯🇵JapanHealthcare3,32 billion $526,09 Bn¥
49Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.HNHPF🇹🇼TaiwanTechnology3,21 billion $105,07 Bn NT$
50DENSO CorporationDNZOY🇺🇸United StatesConsumer Cyclical3,11 billion $492,01 Bn¥
51Airbus SEEADSF🇳🇱EuropeIndustrials3,06 billion $2,75 Md€
52Vertex Pharmaceuticals IncorporatedVRTX🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare3,05 billion $
53PayPal Holdings, Inc.PYPL🇺🇸United StatesFinancial Services3,04 billion $
54China Railway Construction Corporation Limited601186.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials3,04 billion $20,25 billion CN¥
55SAIC Motor Corporation Limited600104.SS🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical2,95 billion $19,67 billion CN¥
56Power Construction Corporation of China, Ltd601669.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials2,94 billion $19,59 billion CN¥
57MediaTek Inc.2454.TW🇹🇼TaiwanTechnology2,93 billion $96,08 Bn NT$
58ActiveOps PlcAOM.L🇬🇧United KingdomTechnology2,92 billion $2,18 Bn£
59Continental AGCON.DE🇩🇪GermanyConsumer Cyclical2,88 billion $2,59 Md€
60Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.AMD🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,85 billion $
61ZTE CorporationZTCOF🇨🇳ChinaTechnology2,82 billion $18,80 billion CN¥
62Abbott LaboratoriesABT🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare2,74 billion $
63RTX CorporationRTX🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials2,73 billion $
64ASML Holding N.V.ASML.AS🇳🇱EuropeTechnology2,71 billion $2,43 Md€
65Merck KGaAMRK.DE🇩🇪GermanyHealthcare2,68 billion $2,40 Md€
66Micron Technology, Inc.MU🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,66 billion $
67Panasonic Holdings CorporationPCRFF🇯🇵JapanTechnology2,65 billion $419,80 Bn¥
68Novo Nordisk A/SNOVO-B.CO🇩🇰EuropeHealthcare2,65 billion $17,77 Bn DKK
69Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.REGN🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare2,62 billion $
70SK hynix Inc.000660.KS🇰🇷KoreaTechnology2,60 billion $3 551 Md₩
71Tesla, Inc.TSLA🇺🇸United StatesConsumer Cyclical2,59 billion $
72Renault S.A.RNO.PA🇫🇷FranceConsumer Cyclical2,58 billion $2,31 Md€
73Adobe Inc.ADBE🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,54 billion $
74Novavax, Inc.NVAX🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare2,53 billion $
75PetroChina Company LimitedPCCYF🇺🇸United StatesEnergy2,51 billion $16,73 billion CN¥
76MeituanMPNGY🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical2,50 billion $16,68 billion CN¥
77Medtronic plcMDT🇮🇪EuropeHealthcare2,49 billion $
78Applied Materials, Inc.AMAT🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,48 billion $
79BASF SeBAS.DE🇩🇪GermanyBasic Materials2,47 billion $2,22 Md€
80Dell Technologies Inc.DELL🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,46 billion $
81JD.com, Inc.JDCMF🇨🇳ChinaConsumer Cyclical2,45 billion $16,33 billion CN¥
82Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd.MLLUY🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials2,38 billion $15,90 billion CN¥
83China Mobile Limited600941.SS🇭🇰Hong KongCommunication Services2,33 billion $15,58 billion CN¥
84Netflix, Inc.NFLX🇺🇸United StatesCommunication Services2,27 billion $
85The Boeing CompanyBA🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials2,25 billion $
86Western Digital CorporationWDC🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,24 billion $
87Kuaishou TechnologyKUASF🇨🇳ChinaCommunication Services2,24 billion $14,96 billion CN¥
88NetEase, Inc.NETTF🇨🇳ChinaTechnology2,11 billion $14,08 billion CN¥
89CITIC LimitedCTPCF🇭🇰Hong KongIndustrials2,10 billion $16,43 HK$ Bn
90Uber Technologies, Inc.UBER🇺🇸United StatesTechnology2,05 billion $
91Nestlé S.A.NESN.SW🇨🇭EuropeConsumer Defensive2,04 billion $1,67 Bn CHF
92Exor N.V.EXO.AS🇳🇱EuropeConsumer Cyclical2,03 billion $1,82 Md€
93Koninklijke Philips N.V.PHIA.AS🇳🇱EuropeHealthcare2,01 billion $1,81 Md€
94Hitachi, Ltd.HTHIF🇯🇵JapanIndustrials2,00 billion $317,38 Bn¥
95Moderna, Inc.MRNA🇺🇸United StatesHealthcare1,99 billion $
96Hewlett Packard Enterprise CompanyHPE🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,98 billion $
973M CompanyMMM🇺🇸United StatesIndustrials1,98 billion $
98Xiaomi CorporationXIACY🇺🇸United StatesTechnology1,97 billion $13,17 billion CN¥
99CRRC Corporation Limited601766.SS🇨🇳ChinaIndustrials1,96 billion $13,09 billion CN¥
100NXP Semiconductors N.V.NXPI🇳🇱EuropeTechnology1,94 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 2021 ranking established?
It ranks companies by their research and development expenses for the fiscal year 2021, 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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