100
Brady (BRC)
In Brady's case, slow and steady does win the race. Founded in 1914, the maker of signs, labels, and tags makes this year's Hot Growth list for the first time. Brady credits the global economy and a string of acquisitions. For the last three years, foreign sales have accounted for more than half of Brady's revenues. China, in particular, has been booming, with sales up 79% in its most recent quarter thanks to surging demand from consumer-electronics producers. The Milwaukee company also has been averaging an acquisition a month, further raising its overseas numbers. After three years of flat sales and earnings, Brady's revenue grew 47% in the last two years to a record $816.4 million in fiscal 2005, which ended July 31. Profits almost quadrupled in the same two-year period to $81.9 million, also an all-time high. And Brady sees a record 2006, with sales of $980 million or more and income of at least $100 million.
Company Info |
|
| 2005 Rank | NR |
| Market Value* ($ Millions) | 1,761.1 |
| Sales* ($ Millions) | 883.4 |
| Sales Growth (3-yr. avg. annual) |
16.9 % |
| Profits* ($ Millions) | 92.5 |
| Profit Growth (3-yr. avg. annual) | 50.1 % |
| Return on Inv. Capital (3-yr.) | 9.4 % |
| Share Price 12-Mo. Hi/Lo | 40/27 |
| Share Price As of 4/28/06 | 36 |
| Return on Equity | 17.6 % |
| P/E Ratio | 19 |
| No. of Employees | 4,500 |
| Industry | Office Services & Supplies |
| CURRENT MARKET INFO | BRC > |
| COMPANY WEB SITE > | |
| Location | Milwaukee |
| Phone | 414 358-6600 |
*Trailing 12 months
Stock price data as of 4/28/06
DATA: Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Brady Corp. engages in the manufacture and marketing of identification solutions and specialty materials worldwide. Its products include facility and safety signs and identification tags and markers, pipe and valve markers, asset identification tags, lockout/tagout products, security and traffic control products, and printing systems and software for creating safety and regulatory software; wire and cable markers, labels, laboratory identification labels and printing systems, stand-alone printing systems, bar-code and other software, and automatic identification and data collection systems; and precision die-cut products for use in hard-disk drives, cellular phones, pagers, automobiles, and other personal communication products. The company also designs and produces various computer software packages, industrial thermal-transfer printers, and other electromechanical devices. It also sells various other products, such as automatic identification and data collection solutions and bar-code tags and labels to enable accurate tracking of manufacturing, warehousing, receiving, and shipping data; lettering and labeling systems, poster printers, laminators, and supplies to education and training markets; and hospital and clinical labels. The company primarily serves customers in general manufacturing, maintenance and safety, process industries, construction, electrical, telecommunications, electronics, laboratory/healthcare, airline/transportation, security/brand education, governmental, public utility, and various other industries. It markets and sells its products through multiple channels, including direct sales, distributors, mail-order-catalog marketing, retail, and electronic access through the Internet. Brady Corp. was founded in 1914 by William H. Brady and has its headquarters in Milwaukee.
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