The companies that make up the BusinessWeek 50 represent the star performers in each of the 10 sectors that make up the S&P 500. Given BW’s three-year measurement period, their list typically includes a number of companies that are riding the crest of different business cycles, which means this year’s rankings include seven companies that are benefiting from the surge in energy prices, as well as 10 companies that gained in different ways from the housing boom.
MacDailyNews Note: See how the 50 made the cut here.
The Class of 2008 is also among the most global groups of companies since we published our first rankings in 1997 and includes Apple Inc. at #6:
Industry: Computer Hardware
Sales: $26.5 billion
Net Income: $4.1 billion
Apple (AAPL) launched its latest category-busting gadget, the iPhone, in 2007, and its shares more than doubled. But investors may be more focused now on the stock’s 28% plunge since the start of 2008: The Cupertino (Calif.) company has become the poster child for market fears of a slowdown in consumer spending. Chief Executive Steve Jobs has signaled that, despite any recession, Apple won’t be trimming its R&D budget. With $18 billion in cash on hand, many expect the product- obsessed Jobs to go on the offensive. He has already announced a corporate version of the iPhone.
The list also includes:
1. Coach
2. Gilead Sciences
3. Allegheny Technologies
4. Verizon
5. Questar
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23: Amazon.com
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27: AT&T
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34: Google
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36: Best Buy
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41: Microsoft
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49: Nvidia
See the full list, along with their descriptions, here.