The Bloomberg Businessweek 50 evaluates companies on their 1-year and 5-year risk-adjusted returns, consensus analyst recommendations, and projected earnings growth. Companies are ranked against other members of the S&P 500-stock index on each of the four factors, for a total potential score of 2,000. Some trends stand out: Among consumer companies, discounters have prospered. The natural gas boom helped put six energy companies on the list. For a deeper look at first-ranked MasterCard (MA) and interviews with chief executives at Coca-Cola (KO), Chipotle (CMG), and Biogen Idec (BIIB), see our special report.
 
(Companies covered by fewer than five analysts, those that have traded publicly for less than five years, and those that are the targets of pending acquisitions were not ranked. Click bar below to isolate rank. Click bar again to see all four rankings. Data compiled by Bloomberg Rankings.)