The BusinessWeek 50 Ranking
32
Symantec
In his six-year tenure, CEO Thompson has turned a stalling, $600 million software company into a $2 billion security powerhouse — and the markets have thanked him. Symantec's stock has appreciated 1,000% since he took the helm in 1999. Last year profits at the Cupertino (Calif.) company jumped 66% — and that was just below the average annual pace for the past three years. Still, Thompson has his work cut out integrating a planned $13 billion merger with storage-software maker Veritas Software Corp. (VRTS) Wall Street doesn't like the deal — the stock has sold off more than 30% since it was announced late last year. Some investors are starting to see the connection between securing and backing up companies' information, but there are concerns about growth. Right now, anti-virus software alone could keep Symantec growing at 18%-20% a year, analysts say. Thompson estimates similar growth for the first year of the combined company, but integrating the largest software merger ever attempted will be tricky.
Company Info
| 2004 Rank | 15 |
| STOCK INFO | SYMC |
| Market Value | $15.6 BILLION |
| Total Return | (1-yr.) 7.5%
(3-yr.) 144.1% |
| 2004 sales | $2.4 BILLION |
| Sales Growth | (1-yr.) 42%
(3-yr.) 33.3% |
| Net income | $533.4 MILLION |
| Net Income Growth | (1-yr.) 66%
(3-yr.) 69.8% |
| Net Margin* | 22.0% |
| Return on Equity* | 14.8% |
| Industry | SOFTWARE & SERVICES |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
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*Trailing 12 months
Company data as of 2/28/05 provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Symantec Corporation provides software, appliances, and services that help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises to secure and manage their information technology (IT) infrastructure. The company operates in five segments: Consumer Products, Enterprise Security, Enterprise Administration, Services, and Others. The Consumer Products segment focuses on delivering its Internet security and problem-solving products. Its products include Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, and Norton SystemWorks. These products feature LiveUpdate, which enables users to download security updates, including virus definitions, firewall rules, URL databases, and uninstall scripts. Enterprise Security segment provides security solutions for various tiers of a network, including at the gateways between the network and the outside world, at the servers and at end-user devices, including desktop personal computers, laptops, and handhelds. Its solutions include virus protection and content filtering, firewall and virtual private networking, intrusion prevention, and security management. Enterprise Administration segment offers open and modular products and services. Its products include Symantec Ghost enterprise edition, pcAnywhere, the ON iCommand product family, V2i Protector, PartitionMagic Pro, VolumeManager, and ServerMagic for NetWare, and original equipment manufacturer Factory Solutions. Its solutions are used to optimize the security and availability of its customers’ information. The Services segment provides information security solutions that incorporate technology, security practices, and global resources to help enable e-business success. Its services include Symantec Managed Security Services, Symantec Consulting Services, and Symantec Education Services. Through these services, it delivers security assessments, planning and implementation, solutions for security management and response, and knowledge transfer to develop internal security skills. Others segment comprises sunset products. The company offers its products through direct sales force, distributors, corporate resellers, value-added resellers, and system integrator channels primarily in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. As of July 21, 2004, the company had operated approximately in 35 countries. Symantec Corporation was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
No. of Employees
5,300
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