Complete Globe 100 stories index
Bets on 'picks, shovels,' and mice pay
When a gold rush gets underway, do you want to be a miner staking everything on a huge claim? Or a pick-and-shovel manufacturer trying to wring a steady profit from the miners' hopes and dreams? That's the perennial question in the biotech business. ()
When a gold rush gets underway, do you want to be a miner staking everything on a huge claim? Or a pick-and-shovel manufacturer trying to wring a steady profit from the miners' hopes and dreams? That's the perennial question in the biotech business. ()
Big-box retailers ride strong sales to National 25 dominance
Rising energy costs didn't slow down shoppers last year as electronics merchants, home improvement shops, and discounters welcomed consumers with open arms and hot deals. ()
Rising energy costs didn't slow down shoppers last year as electronics merchants, home improvement shops, and discounters welcomed consumers with open arms and hot deals. ()
Boston Properties focuses on '24-hour cities'
Real estate has been a safe haven for many refugees of the stock market in the last few years, and a happy sequel was released in 2005. Five real estate firms were represented in Globe 100 listings for last year. ()
Real estate has been a safe haven for many refugees of the stock market in the last few years, and a happy sequel was released in 2005. Five real estate firms were represented in Globe 100 listings for last year. ()
BTU stock sizzles with 394.9% gain
Temperatures inside the high-tech manufacturing ovens of BTU International Inc. of North Billerica can climb to 3,600 degrees. The stock's been pretty hot, too. ()
Temperatures inside the high-tech manufacturing ovens of BTU International Inc. of North Billerica can climb to 3,600 degrees. The stock's been pretty hot, too. ()
Business, military sales lift high-tech firms
Big-spending technology buyers in corporate America and the Pentagon helped make it a solid year for many Massachusetts high-tech and telecommunications companies. ()
Big-spending technology buyers in corporate America and the Pentagon helped make it a solid year for many Massachusetts high-tech and telecommunications companies. ()
Chief executives support Mass. healthcare law
While corporate America usually opposes government mandates on business, two out of three chief executives of Massachusetts' largest and most successful businesses and employers applauded the precedent-setting Massachusetts law requiring employers to give health insurance to their workers. ()
While corporate America usually opposes government mandates on business, two out of three chief executives of Massachusetts' largest and most successful businesses and employers applauded the precedent-setting Massachusetts law requiring employers to give health insurance to their workers. ()
Mainstays of the Massachusetts economy produce winners in the 18th annual Globe 100
If the companies of The Globe 100 were the Boston Red Sox, 2005 would go down as a season when stars at every position delivered -- hitting, pitching, and fielding at the top of their game. When the top performers of 2005 are tallied, every pillar of the state's for-profit economy shows up. ()
If the companies of The Globe 100 were the Boston Red Sox, 2005 would go down as a season when stars at every position delivered -- hitting, pitching, and fielding at the top of their game. When the top performers of 2005 are tallied, every pillar of the state's for-profit economy shows up. ()
Ethics violation tests First Marblehead
It was a good -- if eventful -- year for First Marblehead Corp., the Boston provider of private education loan services. But investors, at least until recently, paid more attention to the eventful than the good. ()
It was a good -- if eventful -- year for First Marblehead Corp., the Boston provider of private education loan services. But investors, at least until recently, paid more attention to the eventful than the good. ()
Genzyme targets less-exotic diseases
If the future of medicine is making carefully targeted therapies for a carefully screened group of patients, then the future looks a lot like Genzyme Corp. ()
If the future of medicine is making carefully targeted therapies for a carefully screened group of patients, then the future looks a lot like Genzyme Corp. ()
Going public has gotten better in Massachusetts
The market for initial public stock offerings improved significantly for Massachusetts companies in 2005, boosted by a brightening economic outlook and growing hunger among investors for bigger returns. ()
The market for initial public stock offerings improved significantly for Massachusetts companies in 2005, boosted by a brightening economic outlook and growing hunger among investors for bigger returns. ()
Home Depot tops new broader ranking
We all know there's no place like home. And the results of a new Globe 100 scorecard prove it, too. The Home Depot Inc. has landed in the number one spot on a new list added this year, the Globe National 25. ()
We all know there's no place like home. And the results of a new Globe 100 scorecard prove it, too. The Home Depot Inc. has landed in the number one spot on a new list added this year, the Globe National 25. ()
How The Globe 100 is determined
The Globe 100 ranks the best-performing publicly traded corporations based in Massachusetts by how well they increased sales, profits, and returns for shareholders during 2005. ()
The Globe 100 ranks the best-performing publicly traded corporations based in Massachusetts by how well they increased sales, profits, and returns for shareholders during 2005. ()
International giants look to Bay State for brainpower
Massachusetts: Nice place to think. But you wouldn't want to meet a big payroll there. ()
Massachusetts: Nice place to think. But you wouldn't want to meet a big payroll there. ()
Investments spell growth for Affiliated Managers
For Affiliated Managers Group , the Beverly asset management company, 2005 was a year when the firm's long-term strategy paid off at all levels. Behind that success story is a classic business tale of making the right moves early, then watching them pay off. ()
For Affiliated Managers Group , the Beverly asset management company, 2005 was a year when the firm's long-term strategy paid off at all levels. Behind that success story is a classic business tale of making the right moves early, then watching them pay off. ()
Knee injection eases way for Anika Therapeutics
If at first you don't succeed, try again with more data. In 2000, Woburn-based Anika Therapeutics Inc. lost two-thirds of its stock market value after a much-anticipated new product failed to help patients in its key clinical trial. Today, the company is the fastest-growing public firm in Massachusetts, ()
If at first you don't succeed, try again with more data. In 2000, Woburn-based Anika Therapeutics Inc. lost two-thirds of its stock market value after a much-anticipated new product failed to help patients in its key clinical trial. Today, the company is the fastest-growing public firm in Massachusetts, ()
Largest Mass.-based firms boosted payrolls in '05
Massachusetts has become known as a state where more and more people work for once-local companies that are now controlled by out-of-state owners. But more and more people are working for the biggest companies that still are based in Massachusetts, too. ()
Massachusetts has become known as a state where more and more people work for once-local companies that are now controlled by out-of-state owners. But more and more people are working for the biggest companies that still are based in Massachusetts, too. ()
Mac-Gray is cleaning up in world of wash and dry
A $260 million Cambridge company has expanded by leaps and bounds. It occupies the top tier of its market and sells a product that is in heavy demand. What's behind the success of Mac-Gray Corp.? Water and soap. ()
A $260 million Cambridge company has expanded by leaps and bounds. It occupies the top tier of its market and sells a product that is in heavy demand. What's behind the success of Mac-Gray Corp.? Water and soap. ()
Making it in Massachusetts
Historically, The Globe 100 has focused on Massachusetts-based companies. But as local corporate icons have been taken over by out-of-state owners, The Globe 100 has worked to deepen its coverage of national companies with major operations here. How do big US companies see Massachusetts? We convened executives from three major players to find out. ()
Historically, The Globe 100 has focused on Massachusetts-based companies. But as local corporate icons have been taken over by out-of-state owners, The Globe 100 has worked to deepen its coverage of national companies with major operations here. How do big US companies see Massachusetts? We convened executives from three major players to find out. ()
Mass. insurers make their marks
In the ultracompetitive world of financial services, a few Massachusetts companies emerged as leaders of the pack last year. Two insurers, Safety Insurance Group of Boston and Commerce Insurance of Webster, rank 17th and 29th on this year's Globe 100 list, respectively. ()
In the ultracompetitive world of financial services, a few Massachusetts companies emerged as leaders of the pack last year. Two insurers, Safety Insurance Group of Boston and Commerce Insurance of Webster, rank 17th and 29th on this year's Globe 100 list, respectively. ()
Novell struggles with a tough tech turnaround strategy
Novell Inc. shareholders haven't had much to cheer about lately. In the 1990s, the company was a leader in computer networking products. But in recent years, Novell has been trying to move from its own proprietary systems to Linux, an open-source software platform. Novell closed the year at the top of a Globe 100 list no company wants to be on: biggest profit-to-loss nosedives. ()
Novell Inc. shareholders haven't had much to cheer about lately. In the 1990s, the company was a leader in computer networking products. But in recent years, Novell has been trying to move from its own proprietary systems to Linux, an open-source software platform. Novell closed the year at the top of a Globe 100 list no company wants to be on: biggest profit-to-loss nosedives. ()
Once-quiet device makers rule life-sciences roost
For years, medical devices took a quiet support role alongside high-flying drug manufacturing and biotechnology industries known for rolling out new $1 billion-a-year products. Suddenly that's no longer true, especially in Massachusetts. ()
For years, medical devices took a quiet support role alongside high-flying drug manufacturing and biotechnology industries known for rolling out new $1 billion-a-year products. Suddenly that's no longer true, especially in Massachusetts. ()
'Only on the beer' strategy brews up profitability
The makers of Samuel Adams Beer say they fly coach so you can drink first class. But Boston Beer Co. is still moving closer to the front. It's climbed to number 39 on the Globe 100 list, up from the 60th slot a year ago. ()
The makers of Samuel Adams Beer say they fly coach so you can drink first class. But Boston Beer Co. is still moving closer to the front. It's climbed to number 39 on the Globe 100 list, up from the 60th slot a year ago. ()
Share price doubles for American Science
Investors like what they see in X-ray equipment vendor American Science and Engineering Inc. Shares in the Billerica maker of surveillance equipment for homeland security, border police, and cargo inspection work nearly doubled in price during 2005 and have kept rising. ()
Investors like what they see in X-ray equipment vendor American Science and Engineering Inc. Shares in the Billerica maker of surveillance equipment for homeland security, border police, and cargo inspection work nearly doubled in price during 2005 and have kept rising. ()
Soaring costs, competition hit manufacturers
It can he hard -- but hardly hopeless -- to be a manufacturing company in Massachusetts. Among the group of 22 Bay State manufacturers considered for inclusion in this year's Globe 100, total revenues last year rose 14.3 percent. But their collective net income fell 46 percent. ()
It can he hard -- but hardly hopeless -- to be a manufacturing company in Massachusetts. Among the group of 22 Bay State manufacturers considered for inclusion in this year's Globe 100, total revenues last year rose 14.3 percent. But their collective net income fell 46 percent. ()
Staples cranks up its copy business, sales growth
When Staples Inc. realized that an average Kinko's Copy Center made about $2 million a year -- or six times more than Staples's typical copy business -- the Framingham office supplies chain knew it needed to crank up its game. ()
When Staples Inc. realized that an average Kinko's Copy Center made about $2 million a year -- or six times more than Staples's typical copy business -- the Framingham office supplies chain knew it needed to crank up its game. ()
Survivor Akamai Technologies rises again
When the dot-com mania of 1999-2000 turned into a stock market blood bath, true believers who held that ''the Internet is changing everything" insisted they weren't wrong. Just early. Probably no local company better epitomizes the cycle than Akamai Technologies Inc. of Cambridge. ()
When the dot-com mania of 1999-2000 turned into a stock market blood bath, true believers who held that ''the Internet is changing everything" insisted they weren't wrong. Just early. Probably no local company better epitomizes the cycle than Akamai Technologies Inc. of Cambridge. ()
They favor Healey, but expect Reilly to capture governership
As Governor Mitt Romney leaps to the national political stage after one term, Massachusetts chief executives are most likely to back his fellow Republican lieutenant governor to succeed him -- but they doubt she will win. ()
As Governor Mitt Romney leaps to the national political stage after one term, Massachusetts chief executives are most likely to back his fellow Republican lieutenant governor to succeed him -- but they doubt she will win. ()
