Profit Powerhouses
Company / Symb |
Net Operating 2004* |
Profit Margin 5-YR AVG.** |
Ambac Financial / ABK |
50.0% |
57.6% |
Linear Technology / LLTC |
40.9 |
40.6 |
Qualcomm / QCOM |
37.3 |
27.8 |
Microsoft / MSFT |
36.7 |
37.7 |
Moody's / MCO |
31.6 |
24.3 |
Amgen / AMGN |
30.6 |
31.3 |
Pfizer / PFE |
30.4 |
25.9 |
Forest Laboratories / FRX |
28.8 |
22.0 |
Oracle / ORCL |
26.7 |
23.4 |
Adobe Systems / ADBE |
26.4 |
21.9 |
eBay / EBAY |
25.5 |
18.5 |
T. Rowe Price / TROW |
25.4 |
21.9 |
*Through Sept. 30
**Jan. 1, 2000-Sept. 30, 2004
Data: Zacks Investment Research
Margins To Marvel At
Companies with an ability to maintain their profit margins make good investments, especially in an era when many face higher costs and little pricing power.
