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| Profiling innovation |
March 17, 2008 |
Our most-anticipated issue of the year is also our largest ever: our annual presentation of the Branham300
Welcome to our fourth annual Branham300 listing of Canada’s top-performing tech companies.
The 300 referenced in the name consists of the Top 250 Canadian ICT firms, the Top 25 IT Multinationals and the Top 25 Up and Comers. The first two are based on fiscal year-end revenues, while the Up and Comers list represents Branham’s best guess on which companies will make the biggest headlines in the years ahead. All told, you hold in your hands the definitive profile of Canada’s high-tech sector.
As in previous years, one of the most compelling portions of the list is the Up and Comers section, pointing as it does to the future direction of technology. Represented this year are companies involved in green tech, online computing and collaboration, gaming and music, and IP-based communication. Also of particular note is the Movers and Shakers category. While all of the companies that made the 250 list are accomplished at driving revenue, the Movers and Shakers are the pros that leapt the greatest number of spots on the revenue ranking compared to last year. Branham’s rankings are based on financial data gathered from public sources or provided by companies themselves. Submitting your results is as simple as filling out an online form. Check out https://www.branhamgroup.com/application/criteria.php and get on the 2008 list.
As always, the Branham300 highlights many important trends.
Mergers and acquisitions: As noted by Branham president and CEO Wayne Gudbranson, 2007 was a very active M&A year in the IT sector, with 21 companies from the 2006 list dropping away because they were either purchased or ceased relative operations. At time of writing, BCE is at the centre of a big will-they-or-won’t-they drama, with industry watchers monitoring share prices like Vegas gamblers hanging on the next turn of a blackjack card. And with good reason: the $42.75 takeover share price is well above the $35.62 figure BCE was generating in early February, putting the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan purchase in real jeopardy.
How green is your IT? 2007 was the year companies started talking about environmentally friendly operations, and 2008 will see much of that talk put into action. Buyers will start to ask suppliers about practical day-to-day initiatives: do you take back and recycle items such as toner and printer cartridges, and will you ensure computers are reused or disposed of properly? With buyers putting pressure on vendors, the overall industry will be made more responsible.
Computing’s dark side: The list analysis has for years stated that IT security is a growing industry, and that certainly won’t change this year. For a good overview of why security firms continue to generate revenue, check out “I, botnet” on page 16.
Peter Wolchak
Editor
pwolchak@backbonemag.com
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