The results of this year’s survey leave little room for ambiguity: 2016 was a successful year for US companies in Germany. Compared to 2015, 70 percent generated more sales revenue, nearly half increased their investments and one-third employed more workers. The majority of remaining US companies maintained current levels of investment, employees and sales revenue.

Looking at the 2017 fiscal year, 85 percent of respondents anticipate increased sales revenue – a ten-year high. Moreover, 49 percent plan on increasing their investments in Germany, and 30 percent expect to hire more workers.

AmCham Germany’s Business Barometer is an annual study based on the results of an exclusive survey among American subsidiaries in Germany. Now in its 14th year, the study depicts overall business conditions for US investors in Germany and reflects current investment trends. This year’s Business Barometer is supplemented by two focus topics – the German parliamentary elections in the fall of 2017 and the new US administration.

Over the next three to four years, a staggering 97 percent of respondents plan on either expanding or maintaining their current activities in Germany. However, while three-quarters of US companies currently rate Germany’s investment environment as good or very good, Germany's attractiveness is not a given. This has to do with investment conditions, energy costs and corporate taxation.

More than nine out of ten US subsidiaries feel that the need for economic reforms in Germany is high or very high, and 82 percent believe that these will be difficult to implement.

And while nearly half of respondents are not yet able to discern the impact of the new US administration’s policies on their activities in Germany, nearly 60 percent of US companies believe that economic ties between the two countries will remain stable. Only 47 percent feel the same about political ties between Germany and the US.

Our publication offers the key findings of the survey.