personal finance

Ameristar Casinos (NASDAQ: ASCA) operates eight casino resorts in the Midwestern U.S. Unlike other casino operators such as Wynn Resorts (WYNN) or Las Vegas Sands (LVS) which attract higher-end tourists, Ameristar's main customers are local residents and regional, in-state tourists.[1] Customers...

Brazil-based Aracruz Celulose S.A. (ARA) is the world's largest producer of bleached eucalyptus pulp, as well as one of the lowest-cost producers of this product. The company is responsible for 31% of the global supply of the product, which is used in the production of a wide range of paper...

Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Connecticut, U.S., Amphenol Corporation (APH) designs and manufactures connectors and interconnect systems that are used primarily to conduct electrical and optical signals for a wide range of sophisticated electronic applications. The company is one of the...

AMSC (American Superconductor Corporation - NASDAQ: AMSC) serves the electric utility, industrial and wind power markets with a host of energy technologies based on proprietary high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires and power electronic systems. [1] Business and Financials They make a...

America's Car-Mart was founded in 1981. They presently have 92 locations in Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Texas, Car-Mart (CRMT)provides affordable used vehicles for the proletariat. With over 36,000 customers (many repeats, according to...

Altria Group (NYSE: MO) is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, the largest U.S. tobacco company. Altria also formerly owned Kraft Foods, but spun the company off in March 2007 to focus on its tobacco business. Additionally, Altria has also spun off it's international tobacco business...

ADC Telecommunications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADCT) manufactures fiber optic and coaxial cables, network connectors, and other physical components used in broadband communications networks. ADC's products are designed to help clients, such as landline and wireless telephone companies, cable providers...

Alberto-Culver (NYSE: ACV) owns cosmetics brands such as Nexxus, TRESemme, Alberto VO5, and St. I'ves. Nexxus and TRESemme are responsible for the majority of the company's revenue.[1] TRESemme and Nexxus were acquired by ACV, and are now the company's best-performing brands. [2] Though...

Biogen Idec (NASDAQ:BIIB) is a biotechnology company that makes drugs to treat cancer, neurological diseases, and autoimmune diseases. The company's most important products are Avonex and Rituxan, which treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs), respectively. The company...

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI) is the holding company for Acuity Brands Lighting, the world's largest manufacturer of lighting fixtures. Seventy percent of the company's sales are for outdoor lights - the federal highway system, with its purchases of street lights, is a key customer for acuity...

Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) is one of the world's largest video game publishers and distributors. Along with primary competitor Electronic Arts (ERTS), ATVI develops software for the PC and video game console markets. The company is home to the popular games: Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Call of...

American Capital Strategies (NYSE:ACAS) is the largest business development company in the U.S., with $15 billion in assets under management, and the only one in the S&P 500.[1] that makes investments of $5 million to $800 million in companies whose employees and management hold a large...

AVX Corporation manufactures and distributes passive electronic components that are used in all types of electronic devices ranging from cell phones and computers to automobiles. Passive components operate without electricity, while active components require electricity to run. AVX's passive...

AGA Rangemaster Group Plc, formerly Aga Foodservice Group plc, is United Kingdom-based company engaged in the design, development, manufacture, sale and service of premium brand cookers, kitchen and household products. The Company operates in only one business segment being the manufacture and...

Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB) is the largest producer of soup in the world. It has a 60% market share in the 4 billion dollar soup market. Campbell's has market shares in a number of food industry categories with products such as soups, sauces, snack foods, baking goods and beverages...

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) is the largest company in the nutritional products market and the second largest company in the worldwide market for diagnostic products. The company manufactures a number of nutritional and pharmaceutical products, laboratory diagnostics, pharmaceutical therapies...

Suntech Power Holdings is the world's largest manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, which convert light energy into electricity, and is China's largest U.S.-listed solar player by market capitalization.[1] Suntech's competitive niche is in the middle of the PV supply...

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is the largest food and beverage company headquartered in North America and the second-largest in the world after Nestlé SA, generating $40.4 billion in revenue in 2009.[1] With 90,000 employees in over 70 countries, the firm operates in two main segments: Kraft...

With 2009 sales of nearly $12.6 billion, Kellogg is the world’s leading producer of cereal and one of the largest producers of convenience foods[1]. With sales in more than 180 countries, Kellogg's produces some of the world's most iconic and easily recognizable brands including: Keebler ...

Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) is a global vendor of personal computers and is one of the largest companies in America, employing over 78,900 people (with approximately 33% located in US and rest in other countries) and earning revenues of $59.9 billion in FY 2010. In addition to both desktop and notebook...