The Top 100

For most big businesses outside the U.S., 1961 was a year of booming sales and bruising competition. Sales of the 100 largest non-U.S. industrial corporations, as reported last week in FORTUNE'S sixth annual directory, increased 8.2% to a record $67.9 billion. That was almost four times the 2.2% sales gain of the 500 biggest U.S. industrials. But foreign companies also learned to add that all-American phrase, the profit squeeze, to their own tongues.

Rising Sum. For the sixth straight year, the world's largest companies outside the U.S. were two giants under joint British-Dutch management: ROYAL DUTCH SHELL (sales: $5.6 billion) and UNILEVER, LTD. ($4 billion). But the biggest gains were scored by Japanese firms. Sales jumped an average 23% for the ten Japanese companies that made the top 100 in both 1960 and 1961. Three did outstandingly well: HITACHI, LTD., an electronics manufacturer, climbed from 17th place to eleventh in the standings, largely on the strength of rising demand in Japan for its telecommunications equipment; YAWATA IRON & STEEL advanced from 26th to 20th on increased use of its steel by Japan's expanding construction industry, and MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL (TIME cover, Feb. 23) rose from 74th to 56th with its fast-moving radios and TV sets. In addition, there were four Japanese newcomers to the 100, including highly automated KOBE STEEL WORKS, which leaped into 69th place.

The ten French companies on both lists raised their sales by 13.7%. West Germany's 22 companies did almost as well, with a 13.2% gain. But Britain's 27 entries advanced only 3.5% on the average, and nearly two-thirds of them gave ground in the standings.

Star Performers. Earnings after taxes of the top 100 slipped from an average 4.6% on sales in 1960 to 4% in 1961 -roughly the same as the U.S.'s top 500. Profits of the 16 biggest foreign automotive companies fell 10.2% despite an 8% sales increase. A notable exception: Germany's ninth-ranked DAIMLER-BENZ -whose earnings soared from $31 million to $50 million on sales of $1.1 billion. Sales of the nine chemical companies rose 13.1%. but their net incomes declined 9.3%. Hardest hit: Britain's fifth-ranked IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, whose profits skidded 28% to $90.6 million.

But the dozen electrical-equipment manufacturers on the list increased their earnings 10% on sales that went up more than 15%. A star performer: Germany's SIEMENS, which advanced from tenth place to eighth among the elite 100.

* Happily backlogged last week with 113,000 Mercedes orders, Stuttgart's Daimler-Benz would not guarantee delivery to German buyers before Christmas 1963, and even foreigners faced several months' wait for some models.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.