IW 50 Best: Apple's Road to the Top

Profit-Driving Products

Apple launched the iPad 2 in March 2011. This iteration of the original "magical device," as they call it, boasted a thinner and lighter form with faster processing and a few notable software upgrades. The machine was not new in any practical sense, but it had been vastly improved to meet overall market demands.

When the company released its third-quarter report that year, the effect of these improvements was obvious. With 9.25 million iPads sold -- representing a whopping 183% increase over 2010 -- the company posted record quarterly revenue of $28.57 billion and quarterly net profit of $7.31 billion, making it the all-time highest revenue and earnings report for any quarter in the company's history. But not for long.

With a handful of new features -- including a rare beta release of the Siri intelligent assistant -- and fairly significant software additions and improvements, the iPhone 4S release in October shattered those record-setting results all over again.

By the end of the first quarter in January 2012, Apple had sold over 37 million iPhones, representing 128% growth from the year before, which helped it post another record quarterly profit of $13.87 billion.

These releases were instrumental in Apple's climb to the top of the IW 50 list this year, translating into a 26% increase in inventory turnover -- one of the key metrics in the IW 50 rating system. They also give credence to Purdy's theory that as long as Apple continues to build great products that meet customer needs, they will continue to grow under most any circumstances.