07.01.14
When consumers, analysts, even reporters, consider the household and personal products industry, the first word that normally comes to mind is “steady.” After all, when times are good, everybody needs laundry detergent and when times are bad, well, everybody needs laundry detergent. Sure, new product launches may, in turn, launch a thousand “me-toos” or, perhaps, an entrepreneur makes a splash with an innovative startup, but, by and large, the business lacks the drama and excitement of say, the computer industry, where the prospects for the sixth incarnation of an iPhone still garners a front-page position in the business section.
But a couple of members in Happi’s Top 50 did capture headlines, for all the wrong reasons, this year. First, there’s that ongoing battle between Herbalife and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, the latter shorted the former and is doing his best to drag the company through the muck and mire of the old “is it a pyramid, or is it not,” debate. It’s the same Ackman who called for, and received, the head of former P&G CEO Bob McDonald.
In this fight, for the first several months, it appeared as if Ackman had bet on the wrong horse, as Herbalife’s stock soared and Ackman lost a bundle. But he turned up the heat, lobbied in Washington, and insisted he would go “to the end of the Earth” to defeat the company. Ackman got a big break in March with news that the Federal Trade Commission was investigating Herbalife, sending the company’s stock below $50. Herbalife has fought back, with good financials and a hefty stock buyback. All moves that should keep this 20-month battle top of mind and on top of the business news for months to come.
In contrast, when Nu Skin was forced to suspend operations in China, its biggest market, due to an unsavory article in the People’s Daily about—you guessed it—pyramid schemes, the company went to work, meeting with officials and getting its business in China, well, back in business. The negative press did little to blunt Nu Skin’s rise, and the company’s sales continue to soar on the strength of its AgeLOC technology. In fact, Nu Skin’s climbed to No. 16 in The Top 50, up from No. 19 last year. Proving, we suppose, that there’s no such thing as bad publicity!
We hope you enjoy reading The Top 50, which is now in its 37th year. In all that time, Procter & Gamble has been No. 1 on the list and this year’s edition is no exception. Colgate-Palmolive is the “Avis” on our list, always in the second spot, even as its sales and market value grows. Rounding out the top 10 companies are Estée Lauder, SC Johnson, Johnson & Johnson, Avon, Ecolab, Amway, Coty and L Brands, the company formerly known as Limited Brands.
The Top 50
1. Procter & Gamble Cincinnati, OH $69.5 billion
2. Colgate-Palmolive New York, NY $15.2 billion
3. Estée Lauder New York, NY $10.1 billion
4. SC Johnson Racine, WI $9.0 billion
5. Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, NJ $7.6 billion
6. Avon New York, NY $7.2 billion
7. Ecolab St. Paul, MN $6.3 billion
8. Amway Ada, MI $5.6 billion
9. Coty New York, NY $4.6 billion
10. Mary Kay Addison, TX $3.5 billion
11. L Brands Columbus, OH $3.2 billion
12. Clorox Oakland, CA $3.1 billion
13. Church & Dwight Ewing, NJ $2.4 billion
14. Sealed Air Diversey Care Elmwood Park, NJ $2.2 billion
15. Sun Products Wilton, CT $2.0 billion
16. Nu Skin Provo, UT $1.6 billion
17. Revlon New York, NY $1.5 billion
18. Guthy-Renker Palm Desert, CA $1.4 billion
19. Elizabeth Arden Miramar, FL $1.3 billion
20. Jarden Rye, NY $800 million
21. Zep Atlanta, GA $689 million
22. Jafra Westlake Village, CA $612 million
23. Merck Whitehouse Station, NJ $582 million
24. Inter Parfums New York, NY $563 million
25. Tupperware Orlando, FL $557 million
26. John Paul Mitchell Systems Beverly Hills, CA $510 million
27. Scentsy Meridian, ID $481 million
28. Energizer St. Louis, MO $429 million
29. Arbonne Irvine, CA $413 million
30. Markwins City of Industry, CA $400 million
31. Blyth Greenwich, CT $390 million
32. Chattem Chattanooga, TN $380 millon
33. WD-40 San Diego, CA $368 million
34. High Ridge Stamford, CT $330 million
35. Combe White Plains, NY $250 million
36. Helen of Troy El Paso, TX $235 million
37. Perfumania Bellport, NY $223 million
38. Prestige Brands Tarrytown, NY $220 million
39. American Int’l Industries Los Angeles, CA $214 million
40. Nerium Addison, TX $207 million
41. Hydroxatone Jersey City, NJ $190 million
42. Seventh Generation Burlington, VT $185 million
43. Spartan Maumee, OH $174 million
44. Turtle Wax Chicago, IL $163 million
45. Gojo Akron, OH $143 million
46. Dermalogica Carson, CA $137 million
47. Herbalife Los Angeles, CA $135 million
48. Murad El Segundo, CA $120 million
49. State Mayfield Heights, OH $118 million
50. Hain Celestial Lake Success, NY $117 million
But a couple of members in Happi’s Top 50 did capture headlines, for all the wrong reasons, this year. First, there’s that ongoing battle between Herbalife and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, the latter shorted the former and is doing his best to drag the company through the muck and mire of the old “is it a pyramid, or is it not,” debate. It’s the same Ackman who called for, and received, the head of former P&G CEO Bob McDonald.
In this fight, for the first several months, it appeared as if Ackman had bet on the wrong horse, as Herbalife’s stock soared and Ackman lost a bundle. But he turned up the heat, lobbied in Washington, and insisted he would go “to the end of the Earth” to defeat the company. Ackman got a big break in March with news that the Federal Trade Commission was investigating Herbalife, sending the company’s stock below $50. Herbalife has fought back, with good financials and a hefty stock buyback. All moves that should keep this 20-month battle top of mind and on top of the business news for months to come.
In contrast, when Nu Skin was forced to suspend operations in China, its biggest market, due to an unsavory article in the People’s Daily about—you guessed it—pyramid schemes, the company went to work, meeting with officials and getting its business in China, well, back in business. The negative press did little to blunt Nu Skin’s rise, and the company’s sales continue to soar on the strength of its AgeLOC technology. In fact, Nu Skin’s climbed to No. 16 in The Top 50, up from No. 19 last year. Proving, we suppose, that there’s no such thing as bad publicity!
We hope you enjoy reading The Top 50, which is now in its 37th year. In all that time, Procter & Gamble has been No. 1 on the list and this year’s edition is no exception. Colgate-Palmolive is the “Avis” on our list, always in the second spot, even as its sales and market value grows. Rounding out the top 10 companies are Estée Lauder, SC Johnson, Johnson & Johnson, Avon, Ecolab, Amway, Coty and L Brands, the company formerly known as Limited Brands.
The Top 50
1. Procter & Gamble Cincinnati, OH $69.5 billion
2. Colgate-Palmolive New York, NY $15.2 billion
3. Estée Lauder New York, NY $10.1 billion
4. SC Johnson Racine, WI $9.0 billion
5. Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, NJ $7.6 billion
6. Avon New York, NY $7.2 billion
7. Ecolab St. Paul, MN $6.3 billion
8. Amway Ada, MI $5.6 billion
9. Coty New York, NY $4.6 billion
10. Mary Kay Addison, TX $3.5 billion
11. L Brands Columbus, OH $3.2 billion
12. Clorox Oakland, CA $3.1 billion
13. Church & Dwight Ewing, NJ $2.4 billion
14. Sealed Air Diversey Care Elmwood Park, NJ $2.2 billion
15. Sun Products Wilton, CT $2.0 billion
16. Nu Skin Provo, UT $1.6 billion
17. Revlon New York, NY $1.5 billion
18. Guthy-Renker Palm Desert, CA $1.4 billion
19. Elizabeth Arden Miramar, FL $1.3 billion
20. Jarden Rye, NY $800 million
21. Zep Atlanta, GA $689 million
22. Jafra Westlake Village, CA $612 million
23. Merck Whitehouse Station, NJ $582 million
24. Inter Parfums New York, NY $563 million
25. Tupperware Orlando, FL $557 million
26. John Paul Mitchell Systems Beverly Hills, CA $510 million
27. Scentsy Meridian, ID $481 million
28. Energizer St. Louis, MO $429 million
29. Arbonne Irvine, CA $413 million
30. Markwins City of Industry, CA $400 million
31. Blyth Greenwich, CT $390 million
32. Chattem Chattanooga, TN $380 millon
33. WD-40 San Diego, CA $368 million
34. High Ridge Stamford, CT $330 million
35. Combe White Plains, NY $250 million
36. Helen of Troy El Paso, TX $235 million
37. Perfumania Bellport, NY $223 million
38. Prestige Brands Tarrytown, NY $220 million
39. American Int’l Industries Los Angeles, CA $214 million
40. Nerium Addison, TX $207 million
41. Hydroxatone Jersey City, NJ $190 million
42. Seventh Generation Burlington, VT $185 million
43. Spartan Maumee, OH $174 million
44. Turtle Wax Chicago, IL $163 million
45. Gojo Akron, OH $143 million
46. Dermalogica Carson, CA $137 million
47. Herbalife Los Angeles, CA $135 million
48. Murad El Segundo, CA $120 million
49. State Mayfield Heights, OH $118 million
50. Hain Celestial Lake Success, NY $117 million
