Global 500 rank: 275
2008 loss ($ millions): 6,086*
Ticker: FLEX
This man-behind-the-curtain in the consumer electronics world provides manufacturing services to brand-name makers of cellphones, PCs, wireless routers, appliances, printers, medical devices, and even car parts who outsource work to the Singapore-based company and its factories throughout China, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe.
An extended global consumer slowdown, especially in the United States, is hurting Flextronics. Thanks to a 19% drop in revenues in the second half, the company took a $5.9 billion writedown on its value, including on Solectron, a competitor acquired at the market's peak in 2007. Bankruptcies of some big tech companies, notably Nortel, also forced writedowns on the value of machines once used to service those customers.
NEXT: Mizuho Financial Group
Last updated July 08 2009: 12:11 PM ET
* Also lost money in 2007.