The recession was tough on the chemicals business. Now, though, Dow is hoping to see its fertilizer business grow, as high commodity prices lead farmers to boost planting again. Meanwhile, Dow is committing $10 million to work with the Nature Conservancy on a review of how Dow's business practices affect different ecosystems. Some of its green efforts have already saved the company money, said Dow's vice president of sustainability at Fortune's Brainstorm Green conference this April. The company has made a net profit of $7 billion from energy efficiency improvements, mostly involving new technology to produce chemicals. --S.D. |
| Key financials |
$ millions |
% change
from 2009 |
| Revenues |
53,674.0 |
19.4 |
| Profits |
2,310.0 |
256.5 |
| Assets |
69,588.0 |
— |
| Stockholders' equity |
21,839.0 |
— |
| Market value (3/25/2011) |
43,388.3 |
— |
| Profits as % of |
|
| Revenues |
4.3 |
| Assets |
3.3 |
| Stockholders' equity |
10.6 |
| Earnings per share |
|
| 2010 $ |
1.72 |
| % change from 2009 |
437.5 |
| 2000-2010 annual growth rate % |
-2.5 |
| Total return to investors |
% |
| 2010 |
26.1 |
| 2000-2010 annual rate |
3.2 |
| 4 | Monsanto | 234 | 10,502.0 | | 5 | Praxair | 241 | 10,116.0 | | 6 | Huntsman | 264 | 9,302.0 | | 7 | Air Products & Chemicals | 271 | 9,026.0 | | 8 | Ashland | 272 | 9,012.0 | | 9 | Sherwin-Williams | 308 | 7,776.4 | | 10 | Mosaic | 346 | 6,759.1 | | 11 | Eastman Chemical | 348 | 6,691.0 | | 12 | Avery Dennison | 356 | 6,512.7 | | 13 | Ecolab | 378 | 6,089.7 | | 14 | Celanese | 388 | 5,918.0 | | 15 | Lubrizol | 423 | 5,417.8 | | 16 | Momentive Specialty Chemicals | 433 | 5,174.0 |
|
|
.
