EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This year’s List of the Valley’s largest public companies spans 14 different industries and employs over 400,000 people. The companies are ranked by their market capitalization (share price times the number of outstanding shares) as of October 1, 2010. The Walt Disney Company tops the List with the largest market cap $63.4 billion. Other famous brands that appear on the List are DreamWorks Animation SKG, The Cheesecake Factory and K-Swiss, Inc. Walt Disney remains the oldest of the fifty companies having been in business since 1923. The youngest is ReachLocal, an online marketing company founded in 2004 that only recently went public in May. – By Josh Dausch THE PACESETTER Celebrating its 87th year of operation the Walt Disney Company is not only the Valley’s largest public company but also one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. It is a globally recognized property and a mainstay of American culture. Originally formed as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, it was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929 before becoming its current entity in 1986. Starting with its trademark animation, the Walt Disney Company has since branched into live action, television, theme parks, theatre, radio, publishing and most recently online media. CEO Robert Iger has been in charge since October 1, 2005. The company employs approximately 150,000 people. – By Josh Dausch Download the 2010 SFV’s VALLEY-AREA’S LARGEST PUBLIC COs list (pdf)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / THE PACESETTER – Valley-Area’s Largest Public Companies
