BusinessWeek's annual ranking of the best performers of the S&P 500, with a report card on all 500 companies. This offering includes the complete Standard & Poor's 500 Performance Ranking and all relevant articles and tables published in the printed issue. To determine how the companies in the S&P 500 index stack up against one another, BusinessWeek ranked all 500 using eight key criteria of financial success. We looked at growth in sales, profits, and return to shareholders. To reward consistency, we measured performance over both one and three years. And to get a better fix on which companies squeeze the most out of operations, we analyzed profit margins and return on equity. Then, we combined the individual rankings and added a weighting for sales volume and long-term debt-to-capital ratio to come up with our overall ranking. Using the individual rankings, we assigned grades for each measure. The top 20% received an A, the next 20% got a B, and so on, down to the F's in the bottom quintile. Tables Included: The BusinessWeek 50 - List of 50 companies, ranked 1-50
Total Return - The best and worst in shareholder returns among the S&P 500
Sales Growth - The best and worst in sales performance among the S&P 500
Earnings - The best and worst earnings performances in the S&P 500
Net Margin - Best/Worst, S&P 500
Return on Equity - Best/Worst, S&P 500
A BW50 Best Prospects List - These companies merit consideration based on their hot industry, attractive valuation, and strong finances
The Standard & Poor's 500 Performance Ranking
The Standard & Poor's 500 Industry Ranking
The Standard & Poor's 500 The Alphabetical List Stories Included: The Best Performers - Details about the companies and industries comprising The Business Week 50 The Ingredients for BW50 Success - What makes for a top-performing company Top Prospects The Ranking: From an Ohio insurance innovator to a 100-year-old motorcycle maker, here is the Class of 2004
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