07.11.13
Changes at the Top… And Bottom
After more than 30 years, you’d think that few changes would catch us off guard when putting together The Top 50, our annual look at the leading US companies in the household and personal products industry. After all, since we started The Top 50 back in 1978, Procter & Gamble has always been No. 1 on our list. Both the company’s performance and leadership was always dependable—P&G has only had 11 CEOs since William Procter and James Gamble started making soap and candles back in 1837 (in contrast, the US has had 38 presidents during that time).
We’d known for more than a year that Bob McDonald was under fire from Bill Ackman for weak sales and a low stock price. But P&G delivered four straight quarters of stronger profits before missing a Q3 sales forecast for the quarter ended March 31. That dip apparently cost McDonald his job.
McDonald took the helm in 2009 when The Great Recession was changing the way Americans shopped. Consumers were no longer looking for the next big thing. Instead, they wanted the next cheap thing. Meanwhile, Unilever, P&G’s chief rival, was winning in fast-growing emerging markets. P&G’s business model has always been to focus on innovation, but megatrends like the changing consumer and the shift in global power have rejiggered the way people shop around the world.
In a letter to employees, McDonald said continuing criticism was “a distraction that is not in our best interests.” His last day was June 30. In another surprise move to us, McDonald was replaced by AG Lafley, the very person he replaced. But will Lafley be able to get P&G winning again at home and in emerging markets?
Meanwhile, at the bottom of The Top 50, Method (No. 49 last year), a small, agile company that found a way to connect with consumers through fragrant, upscale household cleaners, is no longer on our list. Method was acquired by Ecover last year, creating a $200 million company with corporate headquarters in the UK. Between the top and bottom of The Top 50, you’ll read about the latest moves and new product launches from multinationals such as Avon and Estée Lauder, as well as smaller companies like Murad and Hain Celestial.
To learn more about the activities from companies such as L’Oréal, Shiseido and of course, Unilever, be sure to read The International Top 30 in the August issue of Happi.
The Top 50
1. Procter & Gamble Cincinnati, OH $69.1 billion
2. Colgate-Palmolive New York, NY $14.9 billion
3. Estée Lauder New York, NY $9.7 billion
4. SC Johnson Racine, WI $9.4 billion
5. Avon New York, NY $7.7 billion
6. Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, NJ $7.4 billion
7. Ecolab St. Paul, MN $6.1 billion
8. Amway Ada, MI $5.4 billion
9. Coty New York, NY $4.6 billion
10. Limited Brands Columbus, OH $3.2 billion
11. Mary Kay Addison, TX $3 billion
12. Sealed Air Diversey Sturtevant, WI $2.9 billion
13. Clorox Oakland, CA $2.7 billion
14. Church & Dwight Ewing, NJ $2.3 billion
15. Sun Products Wilton, CT $2 billion
16. Revlon New York, NY $1.4 billion
17. Guthy-Renker Palm Desert, CA $1.3 billion
18. Elizabeth Arden Miramar, FL $1.2 billion
19. Nu Skin Provo, UT $1.1 billion
20. Yankee Candle South Deerfield, MA $844 million
21. Tupperware Orlando, FL $711 million
22. InterParfums New York, NY $654 million
22. Zep Atlanta, GA $654 million
24. Jafra Westlake, CA $615 million
25. Merck Whitehouse Station $600 million
26. Scentsy Meridian, ID $560 million
27. John Paul Mitchell Systems Beverly Hills, CA $500 million
28. Markwins City of Industry $490 million
29. Energizer St. Louis, MO $426 million
30. Blyth Greenwich, CT $417 million
31. Arbonne Irvine, CA $377 million
32. Chattem Chattanooga, TN $355 million
33. Combe White Plains, NY $350 million
34. WD-40 Company San Diego, CA $343 million
35. High Ridge Brands Stamford, CT $320 million
36. American Int’l Industries Los Angeles, CA $210 million
37. Helen of Troy El Paso, TX $200 million
38. Prestige Brands Tarrytown, NY $175 million
39. Perfumania Bellport, NY $170 million
39. Seventh Generation Burlington, VT $170 million
41. Spartan Chemical Maumee, OH $167 million
42. Hydroxatone Jersey City, NJ $160 million
42. Turtle Wax Chicago, IL $160 million
44. Herbalife Los Angeles, CA $146 million
45. Gojo Akron, OH $140 million
46. Dermalogica Carson, CA $135 million
47. Obagi Long Beach, CA $121 million
48. State Chemical Mayfield Heights, OH $115 million
49. Murad El Segundo, CA $117 million
50. Hain Celestial Melville, NY $110 million
After more than 30 years, you’d think that few changes would catch us off guard when putting together The Top 50, our annual look at the leading US companies in the household and personal products industry. After all, since we started The Top 50 back in 1978, Procter & Gamble has always been No. 1 on our list. Both the company’s performance and leadership was always dependable—P&G has only had 11 CEOs since William Procter and James Gamble started making soap and candles back in 1837 (in contrast, the US has had 38 presidents during that time).
We’d known for more than a year that Bob McDonald was under fire from Bill Ackman for weak sales and a low stock price. But P&G delivered four straight quarters of stronger profits before missing a Q3 sales forecast for the quarter ended March 31. That dip apparently cost McDonald his job.
McDonald took the helm in 2009 when The Great Recession was changing the way Americans shopped. Consumers were no longer looking for the next big thing. Instead, they wanted the next cheap thing. Meanwhile, Unilever, P&G’s chief rival, was winning in fast-growing emerging markets. P&G’s business model has always been to focus on innovation, but megatrends like the changing consumer and the shift in global power have rejiggered the way people shop around the world.
In a letter to employees, McDonald said continuing criticism was “a distraction that is not in our best interests.” His last day was June 30. In another surprise move to us, McDonald was replaced by AG Lafley, the very person he replaced. But will Lafley be able to get P&G winning again at home and in emerging markets?
Meanwhile, at the bottom of The Top 50, Method (No. 49 last year), a small, agile company that found a way to connect with consumers through fragrant, upscale household cleaners, is no longer on our list. Method was acquired by Ecover last year, creating a $200 million company with corporate headquarters in the UK. Between the top and bottom of The Top 50, you’ll read about the latest moves and new product launches from multinationals such as Avon and Estée Lauder, as well as smaller companies like Murad and Hain Celestial.
To learn more about the activities from companies such as L’Oréal, Shiseido and of course, Unilever, be sure to read The International Top 30 in the August issue of Happi.
The Top 50
1. Procter & Gamble Cincinnati, OH $69.1 billion
2. Colgate-Palmolive New York, NY $14.9 billion
3. Estée Lauder New York, NY $9.7 billion
4. SC Johnson Racine, WI $9.4 billion
5. Avon New York, NY $7.7 billion
6. Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, NJ $7.4 billion
7. Ecolab St. Paul, MN $6.1 billion
8. Amway Ada, MI $5.4 billion
9. Coty New York, NY $4.6 billion
10. Limited Brands Columbus, OH $3.2 billion
11. Mary Kay Addison, TX $3 billion
12. Sealed Air Diversey Sturtevant, WI $2.9 billion
13. Clorox Oakland, CA $2.7 billion
14. Church & Dwight Ewing, NJ $2.3 billion
15. Sun Products Wilton, CT $2 billion
16. Revlon New York, NY $1.4 billion
17. Guthy-Renker Palm Desert, CA $1.3 billion
18. Elizabeth Arden Miramar, FL $1.2 billion
19. Nu Skin Provo, UT $1.1 billion
20. Yankee Candle South Deerfield, MA $844 million
21. Tupperware Orlando, FL $711 million
22. InterParfums New York, NY $654 million
22. Zep Atlanta, GA $654 million
24. Jafra Westlake, CA $615 million
25. Merck Whitehouse Station $600 million
26. Scentsy Meridian, ID $560 million
27. John Paul Mitchell Systems Beverly Hills, CA $500 million
28. Markwins City of Industry $490 million
29. Energizer St. Louis, MO $426 million
30. Blyth Greenwich, CT $417 million
31. Arbonne Irvine, CA $377 million
32. Chattem Chattanooga, TN $355 million
33. Combe White Plains, NY $350 million
34. WD-40 Company San Diego, CA $343 million
35. High Ridge Brands Stamford, CT $320 million
36. American Int’l Industries Los Angeles, CA $210 million
37. Helen of Troy El Paso, TX $200 million
38. Prestige Brands Tarrytown, NY $175 million
39. Perfumania Bellport, NY $170 million
39. Seventh Generation Burlington, VT $170 million
41. Spartan Chemical Maumee, OH $167 million
42. Hydroxatone Jersey City, NJ $160 million
42. Turtle Wax Chicago, IL $160 million
44. Herbalife Los Angeles, CA $146 million
45. Gojo Akron, OH $140 million
46. Dermalogica Carson, CA $135 million
47. Obagi Long Beach, CA $121 million
48. State Chemical Mayfield Heights, OH $115 million
49. Murad El Segundo, CA $117 million
50. Hain Celestial Melville, NY $110 million
