The stock of foreign direct investments (FDI) in Slovenia amounted to €20.2 billion at the end of 2022, up by 7.6% compared over the year before, shows a report by the Bank of Slovenia.

Austria remained the largest investor and accounted for 22.7% of FDI at the end of last year, with investments primarily in manufacturing, trade, and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles.

Luxembourg follows at 11.6%, with the majority of its investments going into finance and insurance. Switzerland is right behind at 11.3%, the majority of its investments being in manufacturing.

Germany was the fourth largest investor in Slovenia (9.1%), mostly investing in manufacturing and trade, maintenance, and repair of motor vehicles, and Croatia was the fifth (9.%), its investment priorities being the same as Germany's.

The bulk of the FDI increase is the result of reinvested profits, investment in equity capital, and transactions increasing debt financing. Foreign investors cashed in a billion euros in profits, 3% less than in 2021.

Meanwhile, Slovenian direct investments abroad increased by €700 million or 9.2% last year to €8.6 billion. Croatia, accounting for almost a third of all investments, is the most attractive investment destination, in no small part due to real estate investments by Slovenian households and investments in trade.

Following in second and third place are Serbia (20.2%) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (6.8%), with investment in finance and insurance dominating in both countries.

The fourth largest recipient of Slovenian direct investments was Russia (6%), where the main segment was manufacturing, followed by North Macedonia (5.7%), where Slovenian investors mainly invested in the financial and insurance sector.

In 2022, Slovenian investors conducted transactions increasing direct investments to the tune of €600 million, mostly in the form of reinvested profits. Slovenian companies abroad paid out €194 million in profits to Slovenian owners last year, nearly 10% more than in 2021.