Waiting In The Wings: 12 Rising Stars In Asia That May Soon Make The Fab 50 List of Best Companies
China dominated FORBES ASIA’s annual list of the best big public companies again this year, with 25 of its brightest stars securing a place on the coveted Fabulous 50 honor roll. The case is no different with our Waiting in the Wings list: 8 out of 12 companies also hail from China, while India has two rising stars and South Korea and Taiwan each boast one. The list is in its 10th year and it highlights high-performing companies that didn’t make the Fab 50 roster but caught our attention during the selection process. It identifies Asia’s rising stars that may just be on their way to making the Fab 50 cut in coming years.
Two Waiting in the Wings outfits from last year did just that. India’s Aurobindo Pharma , whose revenue jumped 50% to $1.9 billion, and Taiwan’s Catcher Technology , which with a steadier growth of 25% generated $1.8 billion in revenue last year.
Here’s a look at three of the companies from this year’s list, followed by the complete list of 12:
Hanssem
Founded in 1970, the South Korean company made its mark in the kitchen-furnishing business. Thanks to the rise of homeowners in the country, its revenue was up by more than 35% while its net profits jumped by nearly 50% last year. That’s made its chairman, Cho Chang-Gul, one of South Korea’s richest people, with a net worth of $900 million. In March he pledged to donate half his stake in the company to his research foundation, which aims to nurture the next generation of global leaders.
Largan Precision
Headquartered in Taichung, Taiwan, the optical lens manufacturer produces camera lenses for smart phones and related product lines for digital cameras, laptops and tablets. Founded in 1987, the company went public in 2002 and now has a market cap of $14 billion. Capitalizing on the booming market for mobile devices, it saw its net profit jump 98% last year. Notable clients include Samsung, Apple AAPL +0.04% and Sony.
Britannia Industries
India’s long-time food giant produces an array of bakery products, including bread, cakes and biscuits, as well as dairy products such as milk, butter and cheese. Founded in 1892, it now supplies 3.5 million retail outlets that cater to more than half the Indian population. Last year’s sales reached $1.2 billion and its market cap soared by more than 165% during the past year.
Waiting in the Wings:
Britannia Industries/India/Bakery & Dairy Products
Ctrip.com International/China/Travel Services
Dr. Peng Telecom & Media/China/Telecom & Internet Services
Godrej Consumer Products/India/Household & Personal Products
Hanssem/S. Korea/Home Furnishings
Largan Precision/Taiwan/Optical Technology
Leshi Internet/China/Online Video Broadcasting
Luxshare Precision Industry/China/Technology Hardware & Equipment
Meihua Holdings/China/Food & Drug Chemicals
Nanjing Xinjiekou Dept. Store/China/Retailing
Ningbo Joyson Electronic/China/Automotive Supplier
Zhejiang Dahua Technology/ China/Security Equipment & Services
