Beyond The BW50
Moving beyond the BusinessWeek 50, we've taken a snapshot look at several companies from the S&P 500 that fell a little short. Some are former members of the top 50 that have lost some momentum. Harley-Davidson (HDI), for instance, is still turning in solid earnings growth but has to prove it can figure out how to keep top-line growth chugging along.
Others are rising steadily up the S&P 500, barely missing inclusion
among the 50. An example: Insurer AFLAC (AFL), which posted impressive
sales and profit gains but was penalized on Wall Street for a slowdown
in its U.S. business. Each of these companies provides an interesting
lens into its respective industry and the broader economy.