Global 500 rank: 48 (Previous rank: 38)
2006 loss: $280 million
Get quote: HIT
After years of stagnant revenue and slim profits, Japan's Hitachi last year lost its title as Asia's largest consumer electronics company to South Korea's Samsung Electronics. Hitachi, like other Japanese gadget makers, has struggled with high labor and production costs. The company also blamed big losses in its digital media division on falling prices for electronics like flat-panel TVs and DVD players.
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Hitachi
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