Business newspaper Barron’s crowns Gamestop and Microsoft as great companies during 2006.
Barron’s, the business magazine that recently named Nintendo Chief Executive Satoru Iwata as one of the top 50 CEOs for 2006, has returned with a ranking of the top 500 companies for the past year. Videogame retailer Gamestop placed 16 on the list, beating out the 21 ranked Microsoft.
Each company is listed alongside a report card of its performance. Gamestop, who failed to rank in 2006, received two “A”‘s for increasing sales growth (buoyed by the hype surrounding the new console launches) and the 52-week stock return (approximately 43 percent during 2006). Microsoft lagged behind in both categories, scoring a “B” for its stock gains and a “C” for its slowing growth attributed to the preparation period prior to Vista’s launch in 2007. Based on a four-point grade scale, Gamestop received a 3.5, edging out Microsoft’s 3.25.
