Global Finance's World's Best Companies - 2004
© Dr. Terry J. van der Werff, CMC

For the seventh year, in its November, 2004, issue Global Finance magazine identifies the world's best companies in 29 economic sectors.

This year's Global Finance list of the world's best companies seems temporarily to refute the maxim that few companies lead their industries year after year.  The competitive landscape may change, an acquisition or merger may go awry, a hot new product may flop, or the R&D stream may run dry.  This year the leaders seem to be hitting on all cylinders in an increasing globally competitive environment.  In contrast to the 2003 list, in which 13 of the 29 companies were new, or the 2002 list, in which 17 companies were new, this year only four are new - Whirlpool, AIG, ExxonMobil, and Samsung Electronics (though it was judged best last year in another category).  Perusing the list below suggests "it doesn't get much better than this!"  Indeed, that may be why it is becoming harder to break into this privileged club of the world's best companies.

Airlines	Emirates	United Arab Emirates
Automotive	BMW	Germany
Beverages	PepsiCo	United States
Chemicals	BASF	Germany
Computer hardware	Dell	United States
Computer software	Microsoft	United States
Conglomerates	United Technologies	United States
Construction & engineering	Bechtel	United States
Consumer durables	Whirlpool	United States	new
Consumer non-durables	Procter & Gamble	United States
Defense & aerospace	Lockheed Martin	United States
Electronics	Samsung Electronics	South Korea	new
Energy services/electricity	RWE	Germany
Energy services/equipment	GE Energy	United States
Food	ConAgra	United States
Franchises	McDonald's	United States
Hotels	Marriott International	United States
Insurance	American International Group (AIG)	United States	new
Leisure	Starbucks	United States
Logistics	United Parcel Service	United States
Media & entertainment	News Corporation	United States
Metals & mining	Anglo American	United Kingdom
Network systems	Cisco Systems	United States
Oil & gas	ExxonMobil	United States	new
Pharmaceuticals	Pfizer	United States
Retailing	Wal-Mart	United States
Telecom equipment	Nokia	Finland
Telecom services	Vodafone	United Kingdom
Tobacco	Altria Group	United States

The selection criteria gradually evolves and include both objective and subjective factors.  This year's criteria include:

	revenue and profit growth
	market capitalization and share price growth
	corporate responsibility
	product innovation
	global expansion
	corporate accountability

Each company has a four or five paragraph description, partly descriptive and partly suggestive of strategies you may wish to think about for your own company.

As in years past, Global Finance identifies the top companies in the same 29 sectors (with extra sectors for some continents) for North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with each company being given a one paragraph description.  

Source: Global Finance, November, 2004, issue.

	View Global Finance's list of best companies in 2001.
	View Global Finance's list of best companies in 2002.
	View Global Finance's list of best companies in 2003.
	View Global Finance's list of best companies in 2005.

 

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