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2009 Fastest growing companies

* = 3-year annual rate

Rank Company

Profile

EPS
growth
(*)

Revenue
growth
(*)

Stock Symbol

Total return (*)

1 Research In Motion

CEO: Michael Lazaridis, James L. Balsillie

Address: 295 Phillip St.
Waterloo, Canada N2L3WB

BlackBerry maker won big with consumers; its Curve is now the top-selling smartphone in the U.S. 84% 77% RIMM 45%
2 Sigma Designs

CEO: Trinh Q. Tran
Address: 1778 McCarthy Blvd
Milpitas, CA 95035

Chipmaker boosted by Blu-ray player sales and a deal with Microsoft for Internet TV sets. 338% 104% SIGM 19%
3 Sohu.com

CEO: Charles Zhang
Address: Zhongguancun East Road
Haidian District
Beijing, China 1000084

Chinese Internet company owns popular search engine and Changyou gaming site. 78% 59% SOHU 35%
4 Ebix

CEO: Robin Raina
Address: 5 Concourse Parkway, Suite 3200
Atlanta, GA 30328


 
Runs online exchanges for insurance policies and annuities. 78% 50% EBIX 77%
5 DG FastChannel

CEO: Scott K. Ginsburg
Address: 750 West John Carpenter Freeway
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75039


Distributes ads and syndicated shows to TV stations and websites.
308% 43% DGIT 50%
6 CF Industries Holdings

CEO: Stephen R. Wilson
Address: 4 Pkwy. North, Ste. 400
Deerfield, IL 60015


Industry: Fertilizers
Sales: $3.9 billion
Net Income: $685 million

Falling natural-gas prices cut the cost of producing nitrogen fertilizer, which makes up 75% of sales.

328% 37% CF 74%
7 Shanda Interactive Entertainment

CEO: Tianqiao Chen
Address: No 1 Office Building
No 690 Bibo Road Pudong New Area
Shanghai , China 201203


China’s biggest online-gaming company added more players in world’s largest Internet market.
91% 44% SNDA 59%
8 Arena Resources

CEO: Phillip W. Terry
Address: 6555 South Lewis Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74136

Oil and gas driller opened 225 new wells last year, mainly in New Mexico and Texas. 69% 91% ARD 23%
9 Bruker

CEO: Frank H. Laukien
Address: 40 Manning Rd.
Billerica, MA 01821


Manufactures X-ray systems and magnetic technology in MRI machines.
126% 54% BRKR 20%
10 Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan

CEO: William J. Doyle
Address: 500-122 1st Ave. South
Saskatoon, Canada S7K7G3

World’s biggest fertilizer maker soared on record prices of the crop nutrient it's named after. 94% 38% POT 49%
11 Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

CEO: Lawrence J. Blanford
Address: 33 Coffee Lane
Waterbury, VT 05676

Single-cup Keurig coffee brewers fueled growth at the Vermont-based roaster. 52% 51%

GMCR

88%
12 IntercontinentalExchange

CEO: Jeffrey C. Sprecher
Address: 2100 RiverEdge Pkwy., Suite 500
Atlanta, GA 30328

Nine-year-old firm known as ICE runs commodities futures exchanges. 47% 73%

ICE

25%
13 Darling International

CEO: Randall C. Stuewe
Address: 251 O'Connor Ridge Blvd.
Suite 300
Irving, TX 75038

The 127-year-old recycler turns animal and food waste into paint, ink, and pet food. 169% 42% DAR 13%
14 Millicom International Cellular

CEO: Mikael Grahne
Address: 15 Rue Leon Laval
Leudelange , Luxembourg L-3372

Luxembourg mobile-phone provider added customers in emerging markets. 151% 50% MICC 7%
15 Open Text

CEO: John Shackleton
Address: 275 Frank Tompa Dr.
Waterloo, Canada N2L0A1

Its software helps 46,000 customers track documents for compliance needs. 132% 27% OTEX 36%
16 VistaPrint

CEO: Robert S. Keane
Address: Canon's Court
22 Victoria St.
Hamilton, Bermuda HM12

Website sales powered growth at the graphic-design company.
 
52% 56% VPRT 17%
17 Elbit Systems

CEO: Joseph Ackerman
Address: Advanced Technology Center
Haifa, Israel 31053

Israel’s largest non-state-owned defense firm soared on sales of unmanned aircraft. 72% 34% ESLT 35%
18 ITC Holdings

CEO: Joseph L. Welch
Address: 27175 Energy Way
Novi, MI 48377

Only publicly traded power-transmission firm in U.S. has been on acquisition binge. 45% 53% ITC 23%
19 Pegasystems

CEO: Alan Trefler
Address: 101 Main St.
Cambridge, MA 02142-1590

J.P. Morgan Chase and Target use IT firm to automate tasks like fraud management. 73% 29% PEGA 62%
20 HMS Holdings

CEO: William C. Lucia
Address: 401 Park Avenue S.
New York, NY 10016

Fixes payment errors for Medicaid, which is expanding as unemployment rises. 39% 49% HMSY 56%
21 AZZ

CEO: David H. Dingus
Address: 1300 South University Dr.
University Centre I, Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76107

Treats steel for use in electric-power grid; will benefit from government stimulus. 70% 31% AZZ 38%
22 Celgene

CEO: Sol J. Barer
Address: 86 Morris Ave.
Summit, NJ 07901

Global biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory related diseases.

Its $2.9 billion acquisition of Pharmion and cancer drug Revlimid raised sales.

93% 61% CELG 0%
23 Natus Medical

CEO: James B. Hawkins
Address: 1501 Industrial Rd.
San Carlos, CA 94070

Makes infant-screening machines used by hospitals to detect ailments. 127% 47% BABY 5%
24 Diana Shipping

CEO: Simeon P. Palios
Address: 16 Pendelis St., Palaio Faliro
Athens , Greece 175 64

The global shipping company added to its fleet to accommodate growing demand. 43% 54% DSX 19%
25 Stifel Financial

CEO: Ronald J. Kruszewski
Address: 501 North Broadway
St Louis, MO 63102-2188

Brokerage was ranked Wall Street’s top U.S. stock picker in 2008 by Starmine. 39% 47% SF 27%
26 Spartan Motors

CEO: John E. Sztykiel
Address: 1000 Reynolds Rd.
Charlotte, MI 48813

Car-parts maker lifted by defense business and sales of fire trucks. 56% 37% SPAR 21%
27 Bucyrus International

CEO: Timothy W. Sullivan
Address: 1100 Milwaukee Ave.
South Milwaukee, WI 53172

High commodity prices for much of 2008 drove demand for its mining equipment. 55% 71% BUCY 5%
28 M & F Worldwide

CEO: Barry F. Schwartz
Address: 35 East 62nd St.
New York, NY 10065

Ron Perelman–controlled company owns licorice and check-printing businesses.
 
44% 110% MFW 7%
29 Foster Wheeler

CEO: Raymond J. Milchovich
Address: Perryville Corporate Park
Clinton, NJ 08809-4000

Engineering contractor for oil and gas, petrochemical, and refining companies. 118% 46% FWLT 3%
30 Transocean

CEO: Robert L. Long
Address: Chemin de Blandonnet 2
Vernier, Switzerland 01214

The offshore contractor drills in deeper waters than any competitor. 73% 67% RIG -4%
31 Lindsay

CEO: Richard W. Parod
Address: 2222 N 111th St.
Omaha, NE 68164

Irrigation-equipment maker designs systems that help farms conserve water and reduce labor costs. 80% 39% LNN 8%
32 Force Protection

CEO: Michael Moody
Address: 9801 Highway 78, Building 1
Ladson, SC 29456

The U.S. Defense Department is the blast-protected products maker’s largest customer. 35% 195% FRPT 11%
33 ANSYS

CEO: James E. Cashman III
Address: 275 Technology Dr.
Canonsburg, PA 15317

The engineering software company’s Ansoft acquisition lifted licensing revenue. 62% 44% ANSS 9%
34 LSB Industries

CEO: Jack E. Golsen
Address: 16 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

Conglomerate generates a lot of revenue by selling green energy products and fertilizer. 92% 22% LXU 25%
35 Deckers Outdoor

CEO: Angel R. Martinez
Address: 495-A S. Fairview Ave.
Goleta, CA 93117

Sales of the shoe company’s UGG-brand products shot up 68% last year to a record $582 million. 41% 41% DECK 22%
36 Guess

CEO: Paul Marciano
Address: 1444 South Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021

The retailer has grown European operations through store openings and acquisitions. 78% 34% GES 8%
37 LKQ

CEO: Joseph M. Holsten
Address: 120 North LaSalle St.
Suite 3300
Chicago, IL 60602

Recycled-auto-parts supplier acquired eight businesses in 2008. 34% 53% LKQX 20%
38 Ctrip.com International

CEO: Min Fan
Address: 99 Fu Quan Rd.
Shanghai , China 2002335

Specializes in hotel reservations, airline tickets, and packaged tours in China, where travel is booming. 28% 53% CTRP 22%
39 Apple

CEO: Steven P. Jobs
Address: 1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014

The cooler computer company sold 2.6 million Macs and 5.2 million iPhones in the most recent quarter. 46% 27% AAPL 35%
40 AsiaInfo Holdings

CEO: Steve Zhang
Address: 6 Zhongguancun South St., Haidian District
4th Floor Zhongdian InformationTower
Beijing, China 1000086


Sales to China's major telecom carriers contribute the bulk of its revenues.
51% 23% ASIA 59%
41 Monsanto

CEO: Hugh Grant
Address: 800 N. Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63167


Dominates its market with seeds engineered to grow hardier produce and ward off insects.
77% 22% MON 22%
42 NASDAQ OMX Group

CEO: Robert Greifeld
Address: 1 Liberty Plaza
New York, NY 10006

Exchange known for tech listings used acquisitions to expand into global stocks and derivatives. 67% 53% NDAQ -11%
43 Synaptics

CEO: Thomas J. Tiernan
Address: 3120 Scott Blvd., Suite 130
Santa Clara, CA 95054

Its touchpad technology is used by most laptop makers and in Research In Motion and Nokia smartphones. 35% 34% SYNA 39%
44 GameStop

CEO: Daniel A. DeMatteo
Address: 625 Westport Parkway
Grapevine, TX 76051

Acquired French videogame retailer Micromania to expand European operations. 66% 46% GME 2%
45 Atwood Oceanics

CEO: John R. Irwin
Address: 15835 Park Ten Place Dr.
Houston, TX 77084

Provider of offshore oil- and gas-drilling rigs had a $1.2 billion order backlog heading into 2009. 78% 42% ATW 0%
46 General Cable

CEO: Gregory B. Kenny
Address: 4 Tesseneer Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41076-9753

Makes copper, aluminum, and fiber-optic wires for energy, industrial, and communications industries. 87% 34% BGC 2%
47 National Oilwell Varco

CEO: Merrill A. Miller Jr.
Address: 7909 Parkwood Circle Drive
Houston, TX 77036-6565

Oil- and gas-services company acquired Grant Prideco, buttressing its petroleum unit. 73% 40% NOV 1%
48 Intuitive Surgical

CEO: Lonnie M. Smith
Address: 1266 Kifer Rd.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

The number of procedures using its robotic-surgery technology grew 60% during 2008. 32% 55% ISRG 12%
49 ICON

CEO: Peter Gray
Address: South County Business Park
Leopardstown
Dublin , Ireland 00018

Contract research company gains as drugmakers outsource more work. 53% 31% ICLR 16%
50 BlackRock

CEO: Laurence D. Fink
Address: 40 E. 52nd St.
New York, NY 10022

Bond house will oversee about $3 trillion after Barclays asset-management deal closes. 27% 70% BLK 10%
51 TransDigm Group

CEO: W. Nicholas Howley
Address: 1301 East 9th St., Suite 3710
Cleveland, OH 44114

Airplane-parts maker focuses on proprietary and higher-margin items. 77% 25% TDG 15%
52 Amazon.com

CEO: Jeffrey P. Bezos
Address: 1200 12th Avenue S., Suite 1200
Seattle, WA 98144-2734

Customers love the Prime deal that gives them unlimited free two-day shipping for $79 a year. 34% 33% AMZN 29%
53 GigaMedia

CEO: Arthur M. Wang
Address: 122 Tunwha N. Rd.
Taipei, Taiwan

Online-gaming company scored with casino tournaments. 55% 52% GIGM -13%
54 Schering-Plough

CEO: Fred Hassan
Address: 2000 Galloping Hill Road
Kenilworth, NJ 07033

3/09 : now a division of Merck & Co. (MRK)


Produces high-margin treatments for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

73% 26% MRK 11%
55 PriceSmart

CEO: Robert E. Price
Address: 9740 Scranton Road
San Diego, CA 92121

Warehouse-shopping club with stores in Central America and the Caribbean. 66% 21% PSMT 21%
56 Teva Pharmaceutical Industries

CEO: Shlomo Yanai
Address: 5 Basel St.
Petah Tikva, Israel 49131

King of the generic-drug makers acquired rival Barr Pharmaceuticals. 61% 25% TEVA 16%
57 FLIR Systems

CEO: Earl R. Lewis
Address: 27700A SW Parkway Ave.
27700A SW Parkway Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070

Its infrared devices are used by everyone from scientists to soldiers. 35% 31% FLIR 25%
58 Gilead Sciences

CEO: John C. Martin
Address: 333 Lakeside Drive
Foster City, CA 94404

Biotech makes popular HIV/AIDS drugs and liver-disease treatments. 36% 36% GILD 17%
59 Dolby Laboratories

CEO: Kevin Y. Yearman
Address: 100 Potrero Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94103

Technology from the Dolby Surround Sound maker is found in many consumer electronics. 50% 27% DLB 17%
60 NRG Energy

CEO: David W. Crane
Address: 211 Carnegie Center
Princeton, NJ 8540

Well-managed wholesale power generator operates coal, oil, and natural-gas and nuclear plants. 94% 27% NRG 3%
61 FTI Consulting

CEO: Jack B. Dunn IV
Address: 500 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21202

Advisory firm helps clients through crises and specializes in restructuring and forensic accounting work. 30% 34% FCN 24%
62 Balchem

CEO: Dino A. Rossi
Address: 52 Sunrise Park Road
New Hampton, NY 10958

Makes additives that preserve the flavor of foods for humans and animals. 21% 46% BCPC 18%
63 DreamWorks Animation SKG

CEO: Jeffrey Katzenberg
Address: 1000 Flower Street
Glendale, CA 91201

Animated-film powerhouse has produced hits including Shrek and Kung Fu Panda. 59% 29% DWA 6%
64 Marvel Entertainment

CEO: Isaac Perlmutter
Address: 417 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10016

Creators of thousands of characters, including Spider-Man and the X-Men.
 
48% 22% MVL 21%
65 Quanta Services

CEO: John R. Colson
Address: 1360 Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, TX 77056

Does engineering and repair work for power, telecom, and gas companies.
 
53% 27% PWR 10%
66 Noble

CEO: David W. Williams
Address: Dorfstrasse 19a
Baar, Switzerland 06340

Offshore oil and gas driller has a big presence in Brazil. 67% 35% NE -6%
67 Activision Blizzard

CEO: Robert A. Kotick
Address: 3100 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Videogame company made hits Guitar Hero and Call of Duty. 40% 22% ATVI 30%
68 Google

CEO: Eric E. Schmidt
Address: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

Online-search leader has the cash for strategic acquisitions. 39% 50% GOOG 0%
69 Thermo Fisher Scientific

CEO: Marjin E. Dekkers
Address: 81 Wyman Street
Waltham, MA 02454

Lab equipment maker’s products include a device that screens toys for lead. 25% 69% TMO 4%
70 Telvent GIT

CEO: Manuel Ortega Sanchez
Address: Valgrande, 6
Alcobendas
Madrid, Spain 28108

Spanish IT company benefited from a global infrastructure buildout. 32% 31% TLVT 23%
71 Iconix Brand Group

CEO: Neil Cole
Address: 1450 Broadway
New York, NY 10018

Owner of popular brands, including Joe Boxer, Badgley Mischka, and Mudd. 31% 85% ICON -2%
72 Huron Consulting Group

CEO: Gary E. Holdren
Address: 550 W. Van Buren Street
Chicago, IL 60607

Consulting firm specializes in complex regulations and health care. 28% 46% HURN 10%
73 China Medical Technologies

CEO: Xiaodong Wu
Address: 24 Yong Chang North Rd
Beijing, China 100176

Medical-device maker has large market share in China. 32% 56% CMED 1%
74 Royal Gold

CEO: Tony A. Jensen
Address: 1660 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202

Mining royalty company gets the lion’s share of its revenue in Nevada. 21% 43% RGLD 16%
75 Ralcorp Holdings

CEO: Kevin J. Hunt, David P. Skarie
Address: 800 Market Street
St Louis, MO 63101

Food manufacturer got a boost when it bought Post cereals from Kraft last year. 53% 23% RAH 13%
76 Team

CEO: Phipip J. Hawk
Address: 200 Hermann Drive
Alvin, TX 77511

Installs and maintains specialty pipes used by power and oil companies. 46% 30% TISI 8%
77 WebMD Health

CEO: Wayne T. Gattinella
Address: 111 8th Ave.
New York, NY 10011

The popular health-care website has added an interactive nutrition section. 169% 26% WBMD -14%
78 Precision Castparts

CEO: Mark Donegan
Address: 4650 SW Macadam Avenue
Portland, OR 97239

Maker of large metal castings for the aerospace industry. 49% 28% PCP 7%
79 Cameron International

CEO: Jack B. Moore
Address: 1333 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77027

Oil- and gas-services provider is acquiring rivals KB Industries and NATCO Group. 48% 30% CAM 6%
80 Amedisys

CEO: William F. Borne
Address: 5959 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70816

Home-care and hospice provider relies on Medicare for revenue.
 
35% 42% AMED 5%
81 Syntel

CEO: Keshav R. Murugesh
Address: 525 E. Big Beaver Road
TROY, MI 48083

Provider of custom IT outsourcing added 1,350 new seats last year at its campus in Pune, India. 40% 22% SYNT 19%
82 Buffalo Wild Wings

CEO: Sally J. Smith
Address: 5500 Wayzata Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55416

The sports-themed chain gets 20% of its restaurant revenue from chicken wings. 37% 25% BWLD 19%
83 Chipotle Mexican Grill

CEO: Steve Ells, Montgomery F. Moran
Address: 1401 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202

Burrito giant now serves 100% naturally raised chicken in its U.S. restaurants. 40% 27% CMG 9%
84 Garmin

CEO: Min H. Kao
Address: 113 S. Church St.
Grand Cayman
George Town, Cayman Islands

Maker of portable navigation devices sold 16.9 million units last year, a 38% increase from 2007. 36% 51% GRMN -21%
85 Zoll Medical

CEO: Richard A. Packer
Address: 269 Mill Road
Chelmsford, MA 01824

Developer of defibrillators has incorporated Wi-Fi technology in some of its products.
 
56% 24% ZOLL 6%
86 Gulfmark Offshore

CEO: Bruce A. Streeter
Address: 10111 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77042

Offshore support operator helps set anchors for drilling rigs and supplies crew boats. 53% 27% GLF 2%
87 Atlantic Tele-Network

CEO: Michael T. Prior
Address: 10 Derby Square
Salem, MA 1970

Investors cheered when the telecom purchased some of Verizon Wireless’s assets in June.
 
30% 24% ATNI 26%
88 Sapient

CEO: Alan J. Herrick
Address: 131 Dartmouth Street
Boston, MA 02116

Interactive-marketing and consulting firm recently bought ad agency Nitro Group. 44% 28% SAPE 6%
89 Vasco Data Security International

CEO: T. Kendall Hunt
Address: 1901 South Meyers Road
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60180

Online securities authentication provider has a customer base of more than 1,200 banks. 44% 36% VDSI -4%
90 Cognizant Technology Solutions

CEO: Francisco D'Souza
Address: Glenpointe Centre West
500 Frank W. Burr Blvd.
Teaneck, NJ 07666

IT service firm attributes part of its growth to expansion in India and China. 37% 46% CTSH -7%
91 McDermott International

CEO: John A. Fees
Address: 777 N. Eldridge Pkwy.
Houston, TX 77077

Engineering and construction company counts the U.S. government as its largest customer. 34% 47% MDR -4%
92 Diamond Offshore Drilling

CEO: Larry A. Dickerson
Address: 15415 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77094

The drilling contractor pulled in 13% of its sales last year from one customer, Petrobras. 35% 37% DO 4%
93 Catalyst Health Solutions

CEO: David T Blair
Address: 800 King Farm Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850