Belgium is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe and has the highest level of urbanization in the whole of Europe. The country with almost 12 million inhabitants in the heart of Europe is an important global player in the pharmaceutical sector and the second largest pharmaceutical exporter in the EU after Germany. In addition to pharmaceutical companies, the largest public companies listed in the leading index BEL20 include companies from sectors such as chemicals, telecommunications, real estate, finance and others. We present a selection of Belgian stocks in this article.
By the way: Shares from Belgium are available at CapTrader directly on the Euronext Brussels stock exchange from 4.00 EUR (0.1% of order volume). Order fee tradable.
AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch)
- Company: Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV
- Symbol (TWS): ABI
- ISIN: BE0974293251
- Stock exchange: Euronext Brussels
- Country: Belgium
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Market capitalization: EUR 99.52 billion / USD 99.68 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 56.5 billion
The Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev Group - AB InBev for short - was created in 2008 through the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by the InBev Group. AB InBev is the largest brewery group in the world and employs 170,000 people in over 150 countries worldwide. The company owns 260 breweries and a portfolio of more than 600 brands. With a market capitalization of over 100 billion euros and a turnover of over 50 billion euros in the past 12 months, AB InBev is the company with the highest index weighting in the Belgian benchmark index BEL20 and is also a member of the EURO STOXX 50 index.
Cofinimmo
- Company: Cofinimmo SA
- Symbol (TWS): COFB
- ISIN: BE0003593044
- Stock exchange: Euronext Brussels
- Country: Belgium
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Market capitalization: EUR 3.07 billion / USD 3.08 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 0.36 billion
Cofinimmo is a real estate company operating mainly in Belgium and also in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. Cofinimmo has a portfolio worth €4.5 billion, which mainly includes office buildings and healthcare properties. Founded in 1983, the company is now Belgium's largest listed real estate company and says it manages properties covering more than 2 million square meters.
UCB
- Company: UCB SA
- Symbol (TWS): UCB
- ISIN: BE0003739530
- Stock exchange: Euronext Brussels
- Country: Belgium
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Market capitalization: EUR 13.08 billion / USD 13.11 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 5.85 billion
UCB is a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company headquartered in Anderlecht and specializes in the production of drugs for diseases of the central nervous system and respiratory tract, as well as drugs for internal medicine and diseases of the immune system. In January 2022, UCB acquired California-based biotech Zogenix for $1.9 billion. Zogenix's best-known product is Fintepla, a drug used to treat seizures associated with epilepsy in children.
Umicore
- Company: Umicore SA
- Symbol (TWS): UMI
- ISIN: BE0974320526
- Stock exchange: Euronext Brussels
- Country: Belgium
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Market capitalization: EUR 7.36 billion / USD 7.37 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 25.23 billion
Umicore is a Brussels-based company active in materials technology and recycling. Founded in 1805, Umicore was formerly known as Union Minière du Haut Katanga before changing its name in 2001. The company's operations are divided into three divisions: catalysis, energy and surface technology, and recycling. The catalysis division produces automotive catalysts, stationary catalysts for industrial emission control, and precious metal-based compounds and catalysts for use in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. The Energy and Surface Technologies business
deals mainly with cobalt and specialty materials and rechargeable battery materials. The Recycling segment processes waste containing residues from precious metals and specialty metals.
Solvay
- Company: Solvay SA
- Symbol (TWS): SOLB
- ISIN: BE0003470755
- Stock exchange: Euronext Brussels
- Country: Belgium
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Market capitalization: EUR 8.71 billion / USD 8.73 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 13.9 billion
Solvay is one of the world's largest chemical companies and currently employs around 21,000 people worldwide. The company's sales in the past four quarters amounted to the equivalent of almost USD 14 billion. Solvay says it is a global leader in materials, chemicals and solutions, bringing advances in aircraft, automobiles, batteries, smart and medical devices, and water and air treatment to solve critical industrial, social and environmental challenges.