NEW DELHI: The list, drawn up from a universe of some 20,000 small companies from 31 countries, also contains 13 from Britain, 12 from Japan, seven from Australia, four from China and 10 from Singapore. Besides Infosys, other Indian software makers included in the list are Polaris Software, Satyam Computer, Visualsoft, Mumbai-based Mastek and Rolta India. The list also includes Asian Paints, Britannia Industries, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Indo-Gulf Chemicals and Zee Telefilms, India's largest private broadcaster. "Assembling a list of the world's 200 best small companies is no easy task. Of the 20,000 companies outside the U.S. with $1 billion or less in revenue, only one percent of them make the grade," said the financial magazine Forbes. Infosys Technologies, India's largest listed software exporter, tops the list of 13 Indian companies in terms of net income with $165.6 million followed by Satyam Computer with $100.5 million and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories with $94.2 million. ICICI Bank, India's largest private sector bank, ranks sixth among the Indian firms with net income of $53 billion. Zee Telefilms bagged the 10th position with an income of $19.3 billion. In terms of sales, ICICI Bank tops the list with $563 million, followed by chemicals maker Indo-Gulf at $559 million and Infosys at $534 million, the figures showed. "Despite a rough economy and other forces that took the Nasdaq to its six-year low, this year's Forbes' 200 Best Small Companies is a stellar bunch of up-and-comers," said Forbes. "All of these companies are profitable, earning a minimum five percent net margin over the latest twelve months, and all have a five-year average return on equity of five percent or greater. "Although some companies have experienced rough waters over the past few years, such as a slip in sales or earnings, their balance sheets indicate they have the muscle to remain viable entities over the long term," it said. "Each company on this list has earned its place and is, indeed, good enough to be called one of the best," Forbes held.
Source: IANS