17. Foot Locker
Fortune 500 rank: 446
2010 revenue: $5.0 billion
2010 total shareholder return: 83.9%
The New York City-based sportswear and athletic shoe retailer put its best foot forward last year. Same-store sales at Foot Locker, which operates 3,426 stores in 21 countries, rose 5.8% last year.
By controlling costs, Foot Locker was able to turn that sales growth into a series of earnings surprises that delighted investors. The company also benefited from lower rental costs in U.S. shopping malls, which have been grappling with an exodus of tenants.
More good news for shareholders: In February, Foot Locker announced it would increase its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.165 per share.
NEXT: 18. Autoliv
Last updated May 05 2011: 3:04 PM ET
List excludes companies whose stocks fell below $1 during 2010.
