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Akamai Technologies (AKAM)
Rank: 1
Employees: 1,058
Headquarters: Cambridge, MA
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: How big is online video and music? Big enough
to catapult Akamai to the top spot. Internet traffic is surging, and
companies like Apple and MTV Networks rely on the content delivery
company's technology to get the digital goods to their customers.
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Rank: 2
Employees: 303
Headquarters: Orem, UT
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: Mom-and-pop businesses are increasingly moving
online, and iMergent's training programs help them set up shop on
the Web. Taking its workshops abroad has helped drive new growth.
Financial restatements have added to revenue gains.
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Palomar Medical Technologies (PMTI)
Rank: 3 (Previous rank: 6)
Employees: 225
Headquarters: Burlington, MA
Sector(s): Medical
Why it's hot: These days even 20-somethings are opting for a
nip and a tuck. That's spiked demand for Palomar's six-figure gear,
which uses lasers and light pulses to tighten skin, vaporize
blemishes, and remove unsightly body hair.
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InterDigital Communications (IDCC)
Rank: 4
Employees: 340
Headquarters: King of Prussia, PA
Sector(s): Software
Why it's hot: Mobile devices are hot, but InterDigital's
wireless software patents are hotter. More than half of the
company's 2006 revenue came from an intellectual property settlement
with Nokia. Now it has Samsung in the crosshairs.
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Rank: 5
Employees: 247
Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: Online fraud has become a growth industry, to
the tune of $3 billion a year. That's meant big bucks for
CyberSource, with companies like Google and Yahoo using its secure
payment services to protect themselves and their customers.
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Rank: 6
Employees: 774
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: CTOs are opening up their wallets again -- and
hiring IT consultancies to tell them what to buy. This one went on a
spending spree itself, snapping up independent consulting firms like
iPath and Vivare to fuel its growth in 2006.
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Rank: 7 (Previous rank: 21)
Employees: 2,616
Headquarters: Fremont, CA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: Tiny circuits are big business. Consumer
electronics giants Toshiba and Samsung are buying Lam's machines,
which can etch circuits as fine as 45 nanometers across for flash
memory chips used in mobile phones, iPods, and other gadgets.
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Rank: 8 (Previous rank: 12)
Employees: 2,205
Headquarters: Costa Mesa, CA
Sector(s): Manufacturing, Military
Why it's hot: As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq drag on,
orders from the Pentagon are up for Ceradyne's ceramic armor --
lighter than steel, more durable than plastic -- to protect
soldiers, helicopters, and other military vehicles.
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Rank: 9 (Previous rank: 18)
Employees: 1,159
Headquarters: Seattle, WA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: Business applications are moving from the PC to
the Web, and that means more and more companies are depending on
F5's appliances to smooth the transition online by balancing
Internet traffic on their corporate servers.
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Rank: 10 (Previous rank: 47)
Employees: 8,150
Headquarters: Jacksonville, FL
Sector(s): Manufacturing, Military
Why it's hot: Its labs design high-strength fibers,
lightweight ceramics, and bulletproof polymers for tougher helmets
and vehicles. Government spending on new military vehicles beefed up
business, as did the purchase of manufacturer Stewart & Stevenson.
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Rank: 11
Employees: 5,200
Headquarters: Somerset, NJ
Sector(s): Medical
Why it's hot: Helping drug companies with things like
staffing, running clinical trials, and managing sales data added
more than $200 million to InVentiv's revenue last year.
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Rank: 12 (Previous rank: 3)
Employees: 21,500
Headquarters: Cupertino, CA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: Apple followed its blockbuster iPod line with
the Intel-powered MacBook, whose Windows compatibility revived
Apple's laptop sales. Next up: the iPhone.
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Rank: 13 (Previous rank: 5)
Employees: 1,072
Headquarters: Westlake Village, CA
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: The online ad network's sites had 132 million
unique visitors last year in the United States alone. Its
acquisition of Shopping.net and Fastclick bulked up revenue.
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Varian Semiconductor (VSEA)
Rank: 14 (Previous rank: 44)
Employees: 1,627
Headquarters: Gloucester, MA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: The semiconductor equipment maker uses an
ion-blasting technology that's increasingly popular with chipmakers.
Sales were strong worldwide.
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Rank: 15 (Previous rank: 8)
Employees: 335
Headquarters: Branchburg, NJ
Sector(s): Medical
Why it's hot: Revenue from its AlloDerm product -- modified
human tissue used to reconstruct breasts and repair hernias --
jumped 62 percent in 2006.
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Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH)
Rank: 16 (Previous rank: 28)
Employees: 38,800
Headquarters: Teaneck, NJ
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: Cognizant handles complex IT tasks like setting
up data warehouses. Meanwhile, a growing cadre of India-based
programmers is helping to drive revenue.
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Rank: 17 (Previous rank: 97)
Employees: 2,400
Headquarters: Liberty Lake, WA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: As utilities build smart grids to cut power
usage, they're relying on Itron and its wireless smart meters to
collect and analyze gas and electricity data.
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Rank: 18 (Previous rank: 83)
Employees: 1,086
Headquarters: Eden Prairie, MN
Sector(s): Business Services
Why it's hot: With consumers increasingly downloading
antiviral software, Digital River ensures that programs stream
smoothly and securely for companies like McAfee.
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Rank: 19 (Previous rank: 19)
Employees: 1,617
Headquarters: Bedford, MA
Sector(s): Medical
Why it's hot: Its medical-imaging equipment scans for breast
cancer and osteoporosis. An aging population and the need to replace
obsolete machines are driving growth.
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Rank: 20
Employees: 975
Headquarters: San Diego, CA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: Cymer's light-source products are used in
lasers that etch patterns onto semiconductors. Customers like Canon
and Nikon increased their orders last year.
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Rank: 21
Employees: 2,960
Headquarters: Wilmington, MA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: Its products, which control gases and static in
manufacturing, are used by makers of everything from chips and
flat-panel displays to DVDs and solar panels.
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Rank: 22 (Previous rank: 29)
Employees: 302
Headquarters: Pittsburgh, PA
Sector(s): Software
Why it's hot: Ansoft's software helps automate repetitive
aspects of designing computer chips, cell phones, and networking
equipment -- all growing industries.
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Rank: 23
Employees: 213
Headquarters: Stewartville, MN
Sector(s): Medical
Why it's hot: Hospitals rely on its catheters, and Rochester
added incontinence products. It also scored $39 million in legal
settlements involving anti-infective catheters.
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American Science & Engineering (ASEI)
Rank: 24
Employees: 283
Headquarters: Billerica, MA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: The company's scanners can detect a bomb in a
suitcase or an illegal immigrant in a truck. These days governments
are willing to pay big bucks for both.
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Rank: 25
Employees: 4,083
Headquarters: Santa Clara, CA
Sector(s): Electronics
Why it's hot: Nvidia's GeForce graphics processor set the
industry standard in bringing photo-realism to the Xbox and
PlayStation 3. It now powers iPods as well.
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Rank:
Employees: 518
Headquarters: Gaithersburg, MD
Sector(s): Medical
Marketing efforts to boost consumer awareness that the human papilloma
virus causes cervical cancer increased sales of its DNA-based
diagnostic tests for HPV.
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(TIBX)
Rank: 27
1,597
Palo
Alto, CA
Software
Its software helps integrate corporate IT systems. That niche --
called service-oriented architecture -- is growing as firms move more
of their business online.
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(CNQR)
(Previous rank: 38)
531
Redmond, WA
Software
Companies use Concur's software to simplify record keeping and
eliminate frivolous expenses. Its on-demand model is pushing profit
margins higher.
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(GILD)
(Previous rank: 9)
2,515
Foster City, CA
Medical
Gilead saw sales of HIV treatments rise 52 percent last year. But two
acquisitions led to a $2.4 billion charge for R&D programs and a net
loss in 2006.
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(MIKR)
171
Oakland, NJ
Electronics
The company, whose vision systems detect temperature changes during
manufacturing, did so well it was acquired by LumaSense Technologies
in May.
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(ROP)
(Previous rank: 53)
6,900
Sarasota, FL
Electronics,
Manufacturing
Sales of RFID chips that monitor traffic, read utility meters, and
scan patients jumped as clients upgraded equipment. Acquisitions also
boosted results.
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Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
563
Sunnyvale, CA
Medical
Sales of its robotic surgery machines, which offer more precision than
human hands, rose 48 percent. But its stock fell when it didn't meet
profit forecasts.
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Juniper Networks (JNPR)
4,833
Sunnyvale, CA
Telecom
An options-backdating scandal hurt the company's stock performance in
early 2006. Still, strong demand for its networking gear led a
recovery late in the year.
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NetScout Systems (NTCT)
370
Westford, MA
Software
Cell-phone carriers use its software to monitor network performance
and troubleshoot slowdowns. Few rivals can top the amount of data it
collects.
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Trimble Navigation (TRMB)
2,859
Sunnyvale, CA
Software
Trimble's software lets construction engineers use GPS to program
bulldozers to dig more accurately. Construction industry revenue alone
rose 21 percent.
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Red Hat (RHT)
1,753
Raleigh, NC
Software
Red Hat fended off invasions of the Linux market by Microsoft and
Oracle, adding 42,000 new customers, including Priceline.com and the
FAA.
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(KOMG)
7,960
San Jose, CA
Electronics
Komag, which makes thin-film discs for high-speed disc drives, is
benefiting from growing demand for DVRs and external storage devices.
6/07: Komag agrees to be acquired by Western Digital in a $1 billion
deal. Terms: $32.25 cash per KOMG share.
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Network Appliance (NTAP)
6,100
Sunnyvale, CA
Electronics
The data-storage company's growth is being fueled by its security and
encryption products. The acquisition of Topio expanded its
data-recovery offerings.
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Diodes (DIOD)
2,268
Westlake
Village, CA
Electronics
The chipmaker bought Anachip and APD Semiconductor last year, which
led to more chip sales for LCD screens and portable DVD players.
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Priceline.com (PCLN)
696
Norwalk, CT
Retail
Its 2004 purchase of Booking.com is paying off, now accounting for 40
percent of its hotel reservations. High holiday fares attracted more
budget fliers.
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J2 Global Communications (JCOM)
341
Los Angeles, CA
Telecom
J2 hiked U.S. subscription rates for its digital fax and voice-mail
services but lost less than 3 percent of its customer base. Now it's
expanding in Asia.
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USEC (USU)
2,677
Bethesda, MD
Manufacturing
USEC supplies low-enriched uranium and is one of only four major
companies in the world making cost-efficient fuel using gas centrifuge
technology.
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Netflix (NFLX)
1,300
Los Gatos, CA
Retail
Netflix continued to tweak its recommendation engine and added 10,000
new titles to its library last year. Its subscriber base also got a
boost, rising by 50 percent.
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ArthroCare (ARTC)
881
Austin, TX
Medical
More doctors are using ArthroCare's radio-frequency-based tools to
minimize tissue damage when repairing knee and shoulder joints and
treating back pain.
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ManTech International (MANT)
5,600
Fairfax, VA
Business Services,
Military
Last year ManTech won more than $100 million in contracts to design
systems that can detect explosive devices in war zones like
Afghanistan and Iraq.
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Yahoo (YHOO)
11,400
Sunnyvale, CA
Retail
Delays in its Panama advertising platform pummeled its stock, but
Yahoo rebounded, thanks to increased ad revenue over the holidays.
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aQuantive (AQNT)
2,106
Seattle, WA
Business Services
aQuantive made five acquisitions, expanding its services with search
optimization tools and products for Web publishers. Those serial
Web-advertising acquisitions made it a tempting target for Microsoft,
which struck a $6.1 billion deal to buy the company in May.
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CoStar Group (CSGP)
1,308
Bethesda, MD
Business Services
CoStar subscribers can access commercial real estate reports and post
property listings. Its services are attracting more high-paying
institutional subscribers.
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Celgene (CELG)
1,287
Summit, NJ
Medical
The biotech firm won approval for Revlimid, a safer version of
thalidomide, to treat multiple myeloma, and it's seeking the go-ahead
to treat more diseases.
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Garmin (GRMN)
4,751
Cayman Islands
Electronics
Garmin unveiled new products to do everything from comparing gas
station prices to tracking lost puppies. It cornered 60 percent of the
U.S. GPS market in 2006.
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Cohu (COHU)
994
Poway, CA
Electronics
The company boosted sales of its semiconductor test equipment when it
acquired patents and new technology from Unisys.
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Lifecore Biomedical (LCBM)
250
Chaska, MN
Medical
Lifecore's new dental implant system lets dentists know just by
feeling a tooth whether it's properly attached, boosting sales in a $2
billion market.
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Amphenol (APH)
25,600
Wallingford, CT
Military,
Electronics
The maker of cable and electrical connectors for the telecom, auto,
and military industries acquired TCS in late 2005 and saw sales grow
by 37 percent.
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Epicor Software (EPIC)
2,178
Irvine, CA
Software
A $121 million acquisition of CRS Retail Systems gave Epicor entrée
into the business of software that rings up sales for specialty retail
stores like Foot Locker.
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Kyphon (KYPH)
1,090
Sunnyvale, CA
Medical
Hospitals are increasingly turning to Kyphon's minimally invasive
spinal surgery devices as baby boomers age and suffer more back
problems.
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Sirona Dental Systems (SIRO)
1,900
Long Island
City, NY
Medical
Since its merger with Schick Technologies, dentists are snapping up
more of its high-tech devices, like a digital X-ray system that sends
images directly to a computer.
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Business Objects (BOBJ)
5,402
San Jose, CA
Software
New software tools that analyze business costs helped to attract 7,000
additional customers. Licensing revenue grew 92 percent.
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CalAmp (CAMP)
590
Oxnard, CA
Electronics
Dish Network and DirecTV are buying CalAmp's pricier satellite dishes,
which support more bandwidth and HDTV programming for local channels.
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Rofin-Sinar Technologies (RSTI)
1,500
Plymouth, MI
Manufacturing
Its new line of fine microlaser models that can cut and shape surgical
instruments and medical implants is a hit: Microlaser revenue is up 14
percent.
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Avaya (AV)
18,500
Basking Ridge,
NJ
Telecom
Ninety percent of Fortune 500 firms use its software to route phone
calls over the Internet. In 2006, Avaya launched a new version of its
flagship product.
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ViaSat (VSAT)
1,437
Carlsbad, CA
Military, Telecom
The U.S. Navy ordered ViaSat's high-speed satellite modems, and
globe-trotting executives are outfitting their private jets with its
wireless technology.
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Integral Systems (ISYS)
433
Lanham, MD
Electronics,
Military
Big defense budgets mean big sales for this satellite software and
equipment company; sales to the U.S. Air Force accounted for 55
percent of its revenue.
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Relm Wireless (RWC)
92
West Melbourne,
FL
Telecom
Relm's two-way digital radios were among the first that can
communicate with other manufacturers' devices and are selling well in
the post-Katrina era.
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