Kyoto, Japan-based
Mario house Nintendo
is the best company in the world, according to new rankings from the publication BusinessWeek.
Nintendo topped other notable and respected companies including Google, Apple, and Amazon.com. Technology, telecommunications, and internet companies peppered the top 40 list, which also included construction, petroleum, medical, and other industries.
The "World's Best Companies/Global Top 40" list was compiled for BusinessWeek by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, which ranked companies by not only their sales, market cap, and value, but also more abstract traits like a focus on innovation, strong leadership, and a clear vision for the future, BusinessWeek said.
Chairman Paul Laudicina said, "In an environment of continuous disruptive change, companies that have rigorous strategic planning initiatives that allow them to see over the horizon…are far more likely to win than those that make it up as they go along."
A.T. Kearney examined 2,500 publicly-traded companies, picking firms with at least $10 billion in sales in 2008, taking into account sales growth and "value creation" over the last five years.
BusinessWeek reported that Nintendo's sales have "risen 36 percent annually over the past five years, while its value growth averaged 38 percent." In May, Nintendo reported net sales of $18.5 billion for fiscal 2009, and $2.8 billion in annual net income.
The report attributed much of Nintendo's success to the company's willingness to innovate. Video game rivals Microsoft and Sony did not crack the top 40 list. On Tuesday, Gamasutra-affiliated Game Developer Research
ranked Nintendo as the top games publisher for the third year in a row.
