Major corporate bankruptcies in Germany rise 10% as automotive sector bears the brunt
Germany recorded another increase in major corporate bankruptcies during the first half of 2026, highlighting the continued financial and operational pressures facing Europe’s largest economy.
According to a study by credit insurer Allianz Trade, 33 German companies with annual revenues of at least €50 million filed for insolvency between January and June, marking a 10% increase compared with the same period last year.
The figures come after a record 94 major corporate insolvencies were recorded in Germany in 2025, the highest level since Allianz Trade began compiling the data in 2015. The number stood at 87 cases in 2024 and 64 in 2023.
Milo Bogert, Allianz Trade’s head for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, said he did not expect a significant improvement in major corporate bankruptcies during 2026. He pointed to persistent adjustment pressures across several parts of the economy, particularly for companies struggling with elevated operating and investment costs.
The impact of corporate failures could also extend well beyond the companies directly affected. Large businesses are often deeply integrated into complex supply chains, meaning insolvencies can create financial difficulties for suppliers, service providers and other commercial partners.
The automotive industry was the hardest-hit sector in Germany during the first half of the year, accounting for seven major insolvencies. Retail followed with five cases, while machinery manufacturing and services each recorded four.
The combined annual revenue of the major German companies that entered insolvency reached €4.5 billion, up 3% from a year earlier. However, the average annual revenue per affected company fell by around 7% to approximately €137 million, suggesting that the businesses entering insolvency more recently were generally smaller than those affected previously.
Companies exposed to high energy and investment costs remain particularly vulnerable, especially when they have limited ability to pass rising expenses on to customers through higher prices. Persistent inflationary pressures, weak demand in some markets and structural changes in major industries have added to the challenges facing German businesses.
The deterioration is not limited to Germany. Allianz Trade recorded 247 major corporate insolvencies worldwide during the first half of 2026, representing a 13% annual increase. Retail, services and construction were among the sectors most affected globally, while Western Europe accounted for more than 60% of the cases tracked.
The latest figures underline the broader difficulties facing European companies as they navigate higher costs, changing consumer demand, technological transformation and intense international competition. For Germany, the continued weakness of the automotive and industrial sectors remains a particular concern given their importance to employment, exports and the country’s wider supply chain.
-
16:20
-
16:06
-
16:05
-
15:50
-
15:45
-
15:30
-
15:15
-
15:00
-
14:45
-
14:30
-
14:14
-
14:14
-
14:05
-
13:57
-
13:40
-
13:20
-
13:05
-
12:45
-
12:30
-
12:15
-
12:00
-
11:42
-
11:25
-
11:11
-
10:47
-
10:32
-
10:25
-
10:18
-
10:15
-
10:00
-
09:45
-
09:30
-
09:15
-
09:00
-
08:45
-
08:30
-
08:15
-
00:15
-
23:57
-
23:45
-
23:35
-
23:30
-
23:15
-
23:00
-
22:50
-
22:40
-
22:35
-
22:28
-
22:20
-
22:15
-
22:00
-
21:51
-
21:35
-
21:20
-
21:05
-
20:45
-
20:35
-
20:30
-
20:20
-
20:15
-
20:10
-
20:00
-
19:53
-
19:45
-
19:30
-
19:20
-
19:15
-
19:00
-
18:52
-
18:45
-
18:30
-
18:20
-
18:15
-
18:00
-
17:50
-
17:50
-
17:45
-
17:30
-
17:20
-
17:15
-
17:11
-
17:00
-
16:51
-
16:45
-
16:30
