The Top 10 Hot Growth Companies
8
Design Within Reach
Many consumers shopping for upscale furniture of modern design have to wait weeks or even months for an independent boutique to special-order that Isamu Noguchi chair or that Mies van der Rohe sofa. But Design Within Reach manages to get merchandise into buyer's homes more quickly. The six-year-old San Francisco retailer, which operates more than 35 stores it calls "studios," as well as an online store and catalog, maintains inventory in a single warehouse ready to ship within days. Keeping only floor models in stores and limiting the breadth of merchandise simplifies inventory management and boosts operational efficiency.
Targeting affluent, urban consumers, Design Within Reach posted 2004 net income of $3.74 million, up 26% over the prior year. Sales rose 49%, to $120.6 million, while its three-year return on capital was 20.3%.
Company Info
| STOCK INFO | DWRI |
| Market Value* | $ 209.9 MILLION |
| Total Return* | (1-yr.) NA
(3-yr.) NA |
| 2004 sales | $ 120.6 MILLION |
| Sales Growth | (1-yr.) 48.6%
(3-yr.) 43.9% |
| Net income* | $ 3.7 MILLION |
| Net Income Growth | (1-yr.) 26.5%
(3-yr.) 120.5% |
| Net Margin* | 3.1% |
| Return on Equity* | 7.7% |
| Return on Invested Capital* | 7.7% |
| Industry | RETAILING |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
*Trailing 12 months
Company data as of 4/29/05
provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Design Within Reach Inc. operates as an integrated multichannel provider of modern design furnishings and accessories. It offers approximately 500 products in various categories, including chairs, tables, workspace and outdoor furniture, lighting, floor coverings, beds and related accessories, bathroom fixtures, fans, and other home and office accessories. Design Within's customers include design professionals, consumers with an interest in modern design, and commercial clients.
The company markets its products to both residential and commercial customers through four integrated sales channels, including catalog, studios, Web site, and direct-sales force. Design Within was founded in 1998 by Robert Forbes and is headquartered in San Francisco.
No. of Employees
269
Data provided by 
