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Nortel
Nortel
Loss: $283 billion
Peak market cap: $283 billion (July 2000)
Recent market cap: $0 (bankruptcy January 2009)

The Ontario-based telecommunications equipment maker was once one of the hottest stocks anywhere. But unlike its former rival Cisco, Nortel shriveled during the bust, amid a swirl of accounting improprieties and bad business decisions. The company pulled the plug in January 2009, filing for bankruptcy and selling off its remaining businesses.

NEXT: Lucent Technologies
Last updated February 05 2010: 2:57 PM ET
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