The Global Elite
The World's Best Companies
04.08.02,
6:00 PM ET
The best. Simply put, that's what these 400 companies are.
Each year, Forbes Global compiles an A-List of the world's best big companies. To qualify for inclusion, companies must have $5 billion in sales or market capitalization. Those big companies are then subjected to a rigorous performance evaluation, consisting of an equal weighting of five-year return on equity, five-year revenue growth, 52-week stock performance and 2002 consensus earnings forecast. The result is this top-notch listing, which we present online alphabetically and by industry grouping.
The A-List companies are disproportionately American and European. Read the introduction to this year's list to find out why: The World's Best.
Spotlights
Aerospace: General Dynamics
Automobiles: Hyundai
Auto Parts: Magna
Banking: Royal Bank of Scotland
Business services: Cintas
Capital goods: Illinois Tools
Chemicals: PPG
Computer hardware: TSMC
Computer software: SAP
Construction: Masco
Consumer goods: Addidas
Diversified: GBL
Energy: Hindustan Petroleum
Financial services: Bear Stearns
Food and beverages: Starbucks
Forest products and packaging: UPM-Kymmene
Health care: Cardinal Health
Insurance: legal and general
Media: Wolters Kluwer
Merchandising: Lowe's
Metals: Posco
Power: Scottish Power
Telecom services: Telmex
Travel and transport: Autostrade
Others
