IT 100 Special Report 2006 >

  THE INFOTECH 100 COMPANIES
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60

Xyratex

(NasdaqNM: XRTX)

UK

It's hard to get excited about enterprise data storage, but investors in Xyratex have nothing to complain about. The company has become a leader in the arcane business of storing the gigabytes upon gigabytes of e-mails, spreadsheets, videos, and more that big companies generate. It also is a top seller of gear that disk-drive makers use to test their products. Xyratex, which was spun off from IBM in 1994, says that some 55% of all 3.5-in. disk drives and more than 20% of all 2.5-in. drives shipped worldwide are tested with Xytratex equipment. In the 12 months to May 31, the company doubled its sales, to $728 million. Total returns to shareholders were a healthy 48.7% and return on equity stood at 22.6%.

Company Info

2005 Rank

Not Ranked

Sales*
($ Millions)

727.6

Sales Growth
(over prev. year)

51 %

Profits*
($ Millions)

38.9

Return on Equity

22.6 %

Total Return on Sales (12-mo.)

48.7

Share Price
As of 5/31/06

26.88

CURRENT
MARKET INFO

NasdaqNM: XRTX

No. of Employees

1,405

Industry Computers & Perpherals
COMPANY WEB SITE >
*Trailing 12 months
Stock price data as of 5/31/06
DATA: Standard & Poor's Compustat

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Company Snapshot

Xyratex engages in the design, development, and manufacture of enabling technology in support of storage and data communication networks. It provides enterprise-class data storage subsystems and storage process technology. The company operates in two segments: storage and network systems, and storage infrastructure. The storage and network systems segment provides network storage subsystem technology, including redundant array of independent disks and switched bunch of disks technology to original equipment manufacturers in the network storage and data networking market places. The storage infrastructure segment provides disk drive process and test technology to the disk drive companies and their component suppliers for the development and production of disk drives. The company operates in Britain, the U.S., and Malaysia. Xyratex, formerly known as Xyratex Group, was founded in 1966. The company is headquartered in Havant, Britain.


Data provided by Capital IQ
 
Steve Barber

Steve Barber, 44

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Steve Barber serves as a director of engineering and technology of Flexfab Horizons International. Barber has been chief executive officer of Xyratex Group since April, 2002. Peviously, Barber served as president of Xyratex Group and its predecessor company from March, 2002, and as executive vice-president and director of business development from October, 2000. Prior to assuming these positions, he led the evolution of Xyratex Group warranty and repair business from a small British based company to a global business with operations in Europe, the U.S., and Southeast Asia. Xyratex Group warranty and repair business was sold to Teleplan in June, 1999. He acted as a division president of Teleplan from June, 1999, until rejoining Xyratex Group in October, 2000. He was a member of the executive team that led Xyratex Group's 1994 management buyout from IBM. Prior to that, he held a number of management positions with IBM. He holds a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering from the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. He also serves on the boards of several of Xyratex Group subsidiaries. Barber has been a director of Xyratex Group since April, 2004.



Executive Data provided by Capital IQ