Home : Research & Rankings : IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies


IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies

To identify the 50 top performing manufacturers, the IW formula factors in revenue growth and profit margin over the past three years, with the most recent year results weighted most heavily. We also considered three-year performance in four other financial ratios; return on equity, return on assets, asset turnover and inventory turns.
The 2010 IW 50 Best Manufacturers: The Best of the 500
IW's top 50 manufacturers range from makers of cigarettes to natural beverages and everything in between.

Can a company founded in 1760 still be relevant in 2009? For Lorillard Inc., the answer is yes. If one product has endured the test of time in the United States, it's tobacco. Despite public smoking bans, warning labels and health concerns associated with tobacco products, Lorillard's 2009 performance was strong enough to earn the No. 1 spot on the 2010 IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies list.

The 250-year-old company spun off by Loews Corp. in 2008 posted revenue of $5.2 billion last year, representing a 24.5% increase over 2008, with a profit margin of 18%. Its flagship brand, Newport, generates more than 90% of the company's sales. Another tobacco company, Philip Morris International Inc., ranked No. 5 on the list. While the company's Marlboro brand continued to do well, its smokeless tobacco brand Copenhagen showed solid growth in 2009.

Click to continue.

IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies Articles & News
IW 50 Best: Idexx Laboratories' Value Proposition

By helping its customers deliver a 'higher standard of care,' the manufacturer of veterinary instruments has kept its top line healthy.

IW 50 Best: PepsiCo Ramps Up Overseas Investments

Beverage and snack foods maker eyes expansion in Vietnam and potato development center in Peru.

IW 50 Best: Hansen Natural Posts Monster Gains

Beverage maker’s popular energy drink contributes to record results.

IW 50 -- First Solar Puts Heat on Competitors

Manufacturer of thin-film solar modules takes command of solar-panel supply chain.

IW 50 Best: Breakthrough HIV Treatment Shows Promise for Gilead Sciences

Study shows drug developed by Gilead significantly cuts a woman’s risk of contracting HIV.

IW 50 Best: Exxon, Chevron Profits Soar On Rising Oil Prices

IW 50 Best Manufacturers benefit from higher prices and investments.

IW 50 Best: Intuitive Surgical Puts Robots in the Operating Room

Demand for high-tech surgical procedures contributes to growing revenues for medical systems manufacturer.

Exxon Profits Soar in Second Quarter

Profit rises to $7.56 billion.

IW 50 Best: Campbell Soup's 'Simple' Strategy for Healthy Growth

Health and wellness trends provide 'mmm mmm good' opportunity for food and beverage maker.

IW 50 Best: First Solar Plans for Bright Future

Alternative-energy demand fuels growth for expanding solar-development firm.

 
IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies

The IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies is IndustryWeek's report on the 50 best publicly held U.S. manufacturing companies based on revenue.

To identify the top performing manufacturers, the IW formula factored in revenue growth and profit margin over the past three years, with 2009 results weighted most heavily. We also considered three-year performance in four other financial ratios: inventory turns, asset turnover, return on assets and return on equity.

View the ranked list and profiles of the IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies.

Who were the previous top 50? You can still view the alphabetical list and profiles of the 2009 IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies, the alphabetical list and profiles of the 2008 IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies, the alphabetical list and profiles of the 2007 IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies, the alphabetical list and profiles of the 2006 IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies and the alphabetical list and profiles of the 2005 IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies (2005-2009 lists were not ranked).



Leadership Insights From The IW 50

New E-Newsletter
IndustryWeek.com delivers this informative newsletter to help executives keep abreast of strategic actions at the IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies. Whether its globalization, supply-chain issues or management philosophies, the Top 50 companies provide valuable insight into challenges faced by all manufacturers.

Subscribe today.