A.T. Kearney Releases 2009 Ranking of Global Champions

Corporate Success in Changing Environment Dependent on Vision and Discipline


CHICAGO, Oct. 15  /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, The Global Champions 2009, demonstrates that despite the meltdown in the financial markets, companies that combine long-range strategic planning with nimble execution can still by far outperform the competition.

The 25 companies in the A.T. Kearney Global Champions 2009, identified from the world's 2,500 largest companies operating internationally, dramatically outperformed their peers during the five years ending with the stock market crash, averaging nearly 15 percent growth annually from 2004 through 2008, while the average for the entire sample was an 8 percent loss. (See ranking of top 25 below).

"The financial crisis has greatly accelerated the rate of change in underlying global business conditions," said Paul Laudicina, chairman and managing officer of A.T. Kearney.  "Companies that were able to align a disciplined growth-oriented strategy to the transformed economic landscape were the ones that dominated.  Companies like first-ranking Nintendo [TOKYO EXCH 7974] and third-ranking Apple [Nasdaq: AAPL] are able to satisfy new consumer demands for a simpler, yet more fulfilled lifestyle. Incidentally, this is a trend we picked up pre-crisis and is manifesting itself in the demand for technologically sophisticated, yet simple to use, products.  And businesses, like fourth-ranking Doosan [KOREA EXCH: 629467] have been able to capitalize on government mandates globally, to rebuild infrastructure."

Laudicina further observed that bigger was not necessarily better.  "The analysis shows that neither size nor market position is a necessary pre-condition for superior growth or a protection against market turbulence.  Instead, the themes that emerge include an in-depth understanding of what the market needed at a particular time, an extraordinary ability to plan beyond the immediate environment, and a relentless focus on flawless execution."

The companies represent industries from electronics to heavy equipment, with no single industry sector dominant, a stark contrast to the 2008 version of the study when the end of the "supercycle" in commodities buoyed the natural resources industry.  The return to fundamentals precipitated by the recession led to a shifting geographic make-up of the list.  While companies such as Mexico's America Movil [MEXICO: AMXA] and India's Reliance Industries [NSE: RELIANCE] are two of only seven companies that managed to maintain their status as Global Champions, the proportion of companies headquartered in  emerging countries has dropped from 40% in 2008 to less than a third in 2009.

Laudicina pointed out that 20 percent of the Global Champions are on the World Dow Jones Sustainability Index and fully 40 percent have signed the UN Global Compact, compared to 30 percent of the Global 500.  "This list is yet another demonstration that sustainability is not in conflict with, or independent of, business success.  Rather, a focus on sustainability is a sign that the company is looking well beyond the horizon."

About the 2009 Global Champions

To create the list, A.T. Kearney first calculates the median value growth rate -- the rise of market capitalization after subtracting any increase in capital -- and the sales growth rate for the 2,500 largest publicly listed companies around the world. A.T. Kearney then only considers those companies with 2008 sales greater than $10 billion and at least 25 percent of sales derived from outside their home region. In addition to having positive value growth, the companies on the list also have above average (median) sales growth.

About A.T. Kearney

A.T. Kearney is a global management consulting firm that uses strategic insight, tailored solutions and a collaborative working style to help clients achieve sustainable results. Since 1926, we have been trusted advisors on CEO-agenda issues to the world's leading corporations across all major industries. A.T. Kearney's offices are located in major business centers in 36 countries. For more information, please visit  http://www.atkearney.com/.

      The 25 A.T. Kearney Global Champions for 2009
      ---------------------------------------------
      1.  Nintendo (Japan)               [TOKYO EXCH 7974]
      ---------------------------------------------------
      2.  Google (United States)         [NASDAQ:  GOOG]
      -------------------------------------------------
      3.  Apple (United States)          [NASDAQ: AAPL]
      ------------------------------------------------
      4.  Doosan (South Korea)           [KOREA EXCH: 629467]
      ------------------------------------------------------
      5.  Hyundai Heavy Industries
          (South Korea)                  [ KOREA EXCH: 644662]
      -------------------------------------------------------
      6.  GDF Suez (France)              [PARIS: GSZ]
      ----------------------------------------------
      7.  MTM (South Africa)             [JSE: MTN]
      --------------------------------------------
      8.  Monsanto (United States)       [NYSE: MON]
      ---------------------------------------------
      9.  Inditex (Spain)                [MCE: ITX]
      --------------------------------------------
      10. BHP Billiton (Australia)       [AUSTRALIA: BHP]
      --------------------------------------------------
      11. Reliance Industries (India)    [NSE: RELIANCE]
      -------------------------------------------------
      12 Jacobs Engineering
         (United States)                [NYSE: JEC]
      --------------------------------------------
      13. World Fuel Services
          (United States)                [NYSE: INT]
      ---------------------------------------------
      14. Fouor (Unites States)          [NYSE: FLR]
      ---------------------------------------------
      15. ABB (Switzerland)              [SWISS EXCH: ABBN]
      ----------------------------------------------------
      16. CNOOC (China)                  [NYSE: CEO]
      ---------------------------------------------
      17. Amazon.com (United States)     [NASDAQ: AMZN]
      ------------------------------------------------
      18. America Movil (Mexico)         [MEXICO: AMXA]
      ------------------------------------------------
      19. Occidental Petroleum
          (United States)                [NYSE: OXY]
      ---------------------------------------------
      20. Teva Pharmaceutical (Israel)   [NASDAQ: TEVA]
      ------------------------------------------------
      21. Mapfre (Spain)                 [MCE: MAP]
      --------------------------------------------
      22. Petrobras (Brazil)             [SAO PAOLO: PETR3]
      -----------------------------------------------------
      23. Kuhne + Nagel (Switzerland)    [SWISS EXCH: KNIN]
      ----------------------------------------------------
      24. Sasol  (South Africa)          [JSE: SOL]
      --------------------------------------------
      25. Komatsu (Japan)                [TOKYO EXCH: 6301]
      ----------------------------------------------------


DATASOURCE: A.T. Kearney



CONTACT:  Douglas MacDonald of A.T. Kearney, [phone],

; or Meir Kahtan of Meir Kahtan Public

Relations, LLC, [phone], , for A.T. Kearney



Web Site:  http://www.atkearney.com/ 

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