The corporate high-achievers driving India’s hot economy aren’t yet immediately recognizable global brands. Here are 10 that could change that
By Brian Bremner
India is the world’s fastest-growing economy right now, after China, and this $850 billion-plus machine likely will overtake South Korea as Asia’s third-biggest economy, behind Japan and China, by the start of 2008. True, India hasn’t yet fielded iconic corporate brand names like Sony, Toyota, and Samsung, but the country is home to a gaggle of software, IT and wireless, and industrial powerhouse players with very robust futures ahead of them. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are 10 of the most dynamic companies India has to offer. Most of
them trade on India and U.S. exchanges and have been killer investments over the past year.India is the world’s fastest-growing economy right now, after China, and this $850 billion-plus machine likely will overtake South Korea as Asia’s third-biggest economy, behind Japan and China, by the start of 2008. True, India hasn’t yet fielded iconic corporate brand names like Sony, Toyota, and Samsung, but the country is home to a gaggle of software, IT and wireless, and industrial powerhouse players with very robust futures ahead of them. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are 10 of the most dynamic companies India has to offer. Most of
$ 2,260 Compact @ Tata Motor
India’s biggest maker of trucks and buses has a tieup with Fiat to jointly invest $895 million to develop and roll out passenger cars in India’s fast-growing auto market. Tata has audacious plans to develop India’s cheapest car, a $2,260 compact, by 2008. The automaker is a key unit of the Tata Group, one of India's biggest and most powerful diversified conglomerates with some $36 billion in assets.
SUV King @ Mahindra & Mahindra
Mahindra makes cars and commercial vehicles, and is India’s No. 1 maker of tractors and sports-utility vehicles. On top of that, it has tieups with French carmaker Renault and U.S. truckmaker Navistar. The company’s Scorpio SUVs are a hit with consumers at home, but profit margins are under pressure at the moment from rising steel prices.
Mahindra makes cars and commercial vehicles, and is India’s No. 1 maker of tractors and sports-utility vehicles. On top of that, it has tieups with French carmaker Renault and U.S. truckmaker Navistar. The company’s Scorpio SUVs are a hit with consumers at home, but profit margins are under pressure at the moment from rising steel prices.
Global Ambitions @ Bharat Forge
It’s a manufacturer of steel forgings and auto parts such as crank shafts for trucks, which it supplies to global automakers like DaimlerChrysler and General Motors. Bharat has big ambitions beyond India. The company is one of India’s emerging multinationals with manufacturing operations in Germany, Sweden, Scotland, the U.S., and China.
It’s a manufacturer of steel forgings and auto parts such as crank shafts for trucks, which it supplies to global automakers like DaimlerChrysler and General Motors. Bharat has big ambitions beyond India. The company is one of India’s emerging multinationals with manufacturing operations in Germany, Sweden, Scotland, the U.S., and China.
India's Global Site @ Rediff.com
The site is the go-to place on the Net for India’s globally dispersed online population looking for news, information, and shopping services. The Mumbai-based company has sites both in India and for those living abroad, and recently launched a finance channel called Rediff Moneywise, which provides real-time data on stocks and mutual funds. The Nasdaq-listed concern saw revenues grow 54% to $7.75 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Software Powerhouse @ Infosys TechnologiesThe site is the go-to place on the Net for India’s globally dispersed online population looking for news, information, and shopping services. The Mumbai-based company has sites both in India and for those living abroad, and recently launched a finance channel called Rediff Moneywise, which provides real-time data on stocks and mutual funds. The Nasdaq-listed concern saw revenues grow 54% to $7.75 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.
It is India’s second-biggest software company and a major IT consulting firm that generates 60% of its sales in the U.S. market. The Bangalore-based company is expanding quickly into Europe to customize software applications and manage computer networks. It is facing increasing competition from IBM and Accenture for quality engineering talent at home. Even so, it’s an earnings high-achiever: Third-quarter profits shot up 50%.
Acquisition Machine @ Wipro
India’s third-biggest software company and IT consulting firm is on an earnings tear, with fourth-quarter profits up 40% to $169 million. Last year, Wipro spent more than $250 million on acquisitions at home and in foreign markets such as Sweden and Finland, and the company’s billionaire chairman, Azim Premji, says he wants to do bigger deals in the years ahead to boost economies of scale and to lower costs.
India’s third-biggest software company and IT consulting firm is on an earnings tear, with fourth-quarter profits up 40% to $169 million. Last year, Wipro spent more than $250 million on acquisitions at home and in foreign markets such as Sweden and Finland, and the company’s billionaire chairman, Azim Premji, says he wants to do bigger deals in the years ahead to boost economies of scale and to lower costs.
India Pharma @ Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
This high-flying drug company, India’s third largest, reported a tripling of net income to $42.5 million in the fourth quarter and specializes in selling and exporting versions of blockbuster drugs developed by other companies such as Bayer and Merck at much lower prices. Its generic business in the U.S., the world’s biggest pharmaceutical market, is sizable, and some 86% of its global sales come from outside India.
This high-flying drug company, India’s third largest, reported a tripling of net income to $42.5 million in the fourth quarter and specializes in selling and exporting versions of blockbuster drugs developed by other companies such as Bayer and Merck at much lower prices. Its generic business in the U.S., the world’s biggest pharmaceutical market, is sizable, and some 86% of its global sales come from outside India.
Wireless Wonder @ Bharti Airtel
It is good to be India’s biggest wireless operator—doing business in the world’s fastest-growing market for mobile phones. Now, Bharti is looking to expand in other fast-growing emerging markets such as Africa. Britain’s Vodafone owns a 10% stake in Bharti, which also provides outsourcing services to IBM.
It is good to be India’s biggest wireless operator—doing business in the world’s fastest-growing market for mobile phones. Now, Bharti is looking to expand in other fast-growing emerging markets such as Africa. Britain’s Vodafone owns a 10% stake in Bharti, which also provides outsourcing services to IBM.
Energy Champ @ Reliance Industries
The company is one of India’s petrochemical and energy national champions and runs the third-largest oil refinery. Its new unit, Reliance Petroleum, 5%-owned by Chevron, is building what will be the world’s biggest refining complexes in India later in the decade.
Reliance Industry’s market capitalization has roughly doubled to about $40 billion over the last year, making this energy player one of the most highly valued companies in India.
The company is one of India’s petrochemical and energy national champions and runs the third-largest oil refinery. Its new unit, Reliance Petroleum, 5%-owned by Chevron, is building what will be the world’s biggest refining complexes in India later in the decade.
Reliance Industry’s market capitalization has roughly doubled to about $40 billion over the last year, making this energy player one of the most highly valued companies in India.
Money Spinner @ ICICI Bank
This bank is a diversified player with 540-odd branches in India, and is particularly strong in retail and corporate banking in addition to providing foreign currency and investment banking services. ICICI boasts the biggest market capitalization of any lender and is one of the best-performing banking stocks on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Third-quarter earnings surged 42%, to $206 million, thanks to the bank’s thriving consumer lending operation for homes, cars, and other big-ticket purchases of the country’s prospering middle class.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/02/0211_indiacompanies/index_01.htm?campaign_id=rss_topSlideShows
This bank is a diversified player with 540-odd branches in India, and is particularly strong in retail and corporate banking in addition to providing foreign currency and investment banking services. ICICI boasts the biggest market capitalization of any lender and is one of the best-performing banking stocks on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Third-quarter earnings surged 42%, to $206 million, thanks to the bank’s thriving consumer lending operation for homes, cars, and other big-ticket purchases of the country’s prospering middle class.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/02/0211_indiacompanies/index_01.htm?campaign_id=rss_topSlideShows
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