| While blue-chip names like Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola stumbled, housewares retailer Bed Bath & Beyond, No.49, maintained its steady performance. This purveyor of clocks and comforters has plumped up sales an average 31% annually over the last three years, as net income grew at a 33% annual clip. The superstore chain will add 80 stores this year as rivals retreat. Falling interest rates may send more home buyers flocking to its aisles. In good times and bad, Bed Bath & Beyond warms shareholders with its consistency.
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