Each ranking orders companies by one measure, over a test it states in full, as of the date it prints. Open any company to check its row.
Graded A, with more than $1B of revenue now and at least $250M three years ago, ranked by how fast revenue grew each year over those three years — the same comparison the grade’s own “revenue growing overall” check makes.
Graded A or B, with at least $250M of free cash flow now and $100M three years ago, ranked by its yearly growth over those three years. Banks, insurers and brokers are left out: their cash flow moves with customers’ money.
Graded A and paying a regular dividend yielding at least 1%, ranked by size rather than by yield. The highest yields usually belong to the companies under the most strain, so a list opening on them would mislead.
Companies that raised their regular dividend every year for at least five years, longest first, then by size. Our dividend record starts in 2016, so nine years is the most it can count — the real record may be far longer.
Graded A on the five growth-and-cash checks and strong on business quality — margins, returns and debt — which is what the plus means. Ranked by size.
Graded A at every quarter end of the run and still A today, longest run first. Counted from our point-in-time history, which uses only the filings that were public at each date.
Graded A or B, ranked by operating profit as a share of the equity and debt the business runs on. Banks, insurers and companies with negative equity are left out, where the measure means nothing.
Graded A or B, ranked by how far the number of shares fell over three years. A buyback only shows here when it retires more shares than the company issues.
Companies whose directors, officers and largest holders bought more shares on the open market than they sold over the last twelve months, from SEC Form 4 filings, ranked by the net amount bought. Share grants and option exercises are left out.
Graded A, ranked by how far the share price sits below its 52-week high. The grade is built from the filings alone; the fall is a fact about the price, not the business.
Graded A or B, ranked by free cash flow over the last twelve months divided by market value. Banks and insurers are left out, and yields above 50% are treated as data problems rather than bargains.
A ranking orders companies by one stated measure. It is not a recommendation, and it says nothing about whether any share price is reasonable.