New Brand Finance data reveals Germany's top 150 brands reach €640.6 billion despite continued economic headwinds
BERLIN, 28 July 2026 – Germany's 150 most valuable brands remain resilient with a combined brand value of EUR640.6 billion in 2026, despite persistent inflationary pressures, subdued industrial output and weaker global demand, according to the Brand Finance Germany 150 2026 report by Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy.
While the automotive sector remains Germany's largest contributor to brand value, telecommunications, financial services, retail and technology continue to drive growth, reflecting the country's increasingly diversified brand economy.
T (brand value up 9% to EUR83.4 billion) retains its position as Germany's most valuable brand. Its continued investment in network infrastructure, digital services and strong international performance, particularly in the US, has enabled the telecoms giant to further widen its lead over the rest of the ranking.
Allianz (brand value up 18% to EUR52.6 billion) climbs to become Germany's second most valuable brand overtaking Mercedez-Benz, supported by record operating profits and favourable interest rate conditions. Strong financial performance across its business lines reinforced the insurer's reputation for reliability and stability.
Mercedes-Benz (brand value down 15% to EUR40.4 billion) drops to third as softer demand in China, tariff-related uncertainty and restructuring costs weighed on performance. Despite these headwinds, the brand continues to hold a leading position among the world's premium automotive manufacturers.
Cristobal Pohle Vazquez, Associate Director, Brand Finance, commented:
"Germany's brand economy is entering a new phase. Automotive remains its largest source of brand value, but growth is increasingly being shared across telecommunications, financial services, retail and technology. Brands that combine global scale with innovation, digital capability and customer trust are proving best placed to thrive in a more diversified and competitive economy."
Rheinmetall (brand value up 98% to EUR4.1 billion) emerges as Germany's fastest-growing brand this year. The defence contractor has benefited from rising military expenditure across Europe, expanding production capacity and record order backlogs, reflecting the sector's growing strategic importance across the region.
Eucerin (brand value up 77% to EUR418 million) and Birkenstock (brand value up 22% to EUR1.1 billion) are the brands to watch in this year's Germany 150 ranking. Eucerin continues to benefit from strong growth in dermatological skincare, driven by product innovation and international expansion, while Birkenstock's premium positioning and sustained global demand continue to support double-digit growth.
Edeka (brand value up 18% to EUR8.5 billion) becomes Germany's strongest brand, achieving a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 92.1/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating, the highest accolade awarded by Brand Finance. According to Brand Finance’s market research data, the retailer recorded improvements across familiarity, reliability, consideration, preference and customer engagement, reinforcing its leadership in Germany's grocery sector.
AIDA (brand value up 9% to EUR1.4 billion) ranks second among Germany's strongest brands with a BSI score of 91.9/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating, supported by strong customer loyalty, premium holiday experiences and sustained booking momentum.
Placing third is REWE (brand value down 11% to EUR9.3 billion), with a BSI score of 90.8/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating, reflecting high levels of consumer trust, continued investment in digital engagement and a strong local market presence.
Among German brands, Mercedes-Benz records the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value (SPV) at EUR4.3 billion, reflecting the brand value linked to its sustainability reputation. Meanwhile, Volkswagen records Germany's largest positive Sustainability Gap Value at EUR338 million, indicating significant potential to unlock additional brand value through stronger communication of its sustainability initiatives.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance operates in over 25 countries. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 6,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on 6,000 brands, surveying more than 175,000 respondents across 41 countries and 31 industry sectors. By combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database — the largest brand value database in the world — Brand Finance equips ambitious brand leaders with the data, analytics, and the strategic guidance they need to enhance brand and business value.
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics, compliant with ISO 20671.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm and a committed leader in the standardisation of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.
Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.
Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.
Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.
Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
The steps in this process are as follows:
1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.
2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.
3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.
4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.
5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.
6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.
7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.
Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.
The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
