2011 loss: $575 million
Masco has been a household name (pun intended) since 1929. However, recent years have not been kind to the home improvement and construction giant. First the housing bust ate into sales, then the recovery was slow in coming, and most recently high commodities prices have taken a chunk out of profits. Since 2006, Masco has undergone major restructuring. It closed or idled nine cabinet plants and closed or consolidated more than 100 branches.
The results translated into big write-downs for the company, and contributed to a $575 million loss last year. But analysts say a leaner Masco could now be poised to make a comeback. It controls recognizable names including Behr, LibertyHardware and KraftMaid cabinets. Those brands coupled with its massive scale -- it pulled in about $7.5 billion in sales last year -- could work to its advantage as the housing market turns around.
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