Germany's second-biggest listed lender. Founded in 1870 in Hamburg, Germany's biggest port, to promote international trade, Commerzbank remains the go-to bank for the international business of Mittelstand firms—the country's economic backbone. It operates branches in more than 40 countries; its global network brings in almost three-fifths of its revenue from corporate clients. The bank is headquartered in a 53-storey Frankfurt tower. The German state owns 12% of the lender, residue of a clean-up in the global financial crisis of 2007-09.
In September 2024 UniCredit, Italy's second-biggest bank, began building a stake; by May 2026 the Italians launched a hostile bid at a discount to the market price, prompting Germany's finance ministry to call a "hostile, aggressive takeover" of a systemically important bank "unacceptable". Chief executive Bettina Orlopp's guiding principle has been "Keep calm and carry on". The share price nearly doubled over that period, helped by strong results, share buy-backs and generous dividends.
Most gods find it hard to walk and think at the same time.