No. 6

Bharti Airtel

Country: India
Revenue (Millions): 5,804
Revenue Growth: 46%
Return on Equity: 31%
Shareholder Return: -16%

India's largest cell-phone company is the world's third largest. Adding 3 million new customers a month in a very competitive market with the globe's cheapest call rates, Airtel has kept ahead of the crowd by pampering high-value customers with offerings like the iPhone and soon-to-be-rolled-out 3G networks. Bharti has also tempted newcomers with recharge coupons as small as 25¢. It crossed 100 million customers in May, and Chairman Sunil Mittal plans to double that number in as little as three years.

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