The Top 25 Most Efficient Tech Companies Based On Profit Per Employee

Rob Kelly
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I was curious who the most profitable tech companies were based on net income per employee; so I asked the kind folks at MANDASOFT (a cool mergers and acquisitions data provider) for the data.

Top 25 Tech Companies By Profit-Per-Employee

Source of data: MANDASOFT, a Berkery Noyes business. This includes only Public tech companies with employee data and net income data from fiscal year 2010 or 2011.

I think of the highest profit-per-employee companies as the most efficient companies, since they generate high profit for each human on the payroll.

Some Surprises:

  • Sandisk at #1 — I guess flash storage is pretty important!
  • Google Versus Apple — Interesting that even though the two companies are in mostly different businesses, that there profit per employee is so close?
  • Dolby at #5 — Hard to believe that this San Francisco-based music technology licensor is so high on the list — nice business model!
  • Epocrates at #7 — Cool to see this relatively small San Mateo-based provider of mobile applications for physicians ranking with the big boys
  • Research In Motion at #11 — The Blackberry may be losing market share, but the latest #s from this Blackberry parent show that their device is still a profitable franchise.
  • Novell at #22 — Unusual to see old Novell of Netware fame still cranking along…cash cow apparently.
Here’s a description of each of the top 25 highest profit-per-employee tech companies (in the companies’ own words):
 1 SanDisk Corporation SanDisk sells products through both retail and OEM (original equipment manufacturers) channels. SanDisk products are sold through more than 93,000 retail storefronts worldwide. SanDisk designs, develops, manufactures and markets flash storage card products used in a variety of electronic systems.
 2 Google Inc. Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people with information every day. Google is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users.
 3 Apple, Inc. Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 70s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 80s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications.
 4 Microsoft Corporation Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a range of software products and services for various computing devices worldwide.
 5 Dolby Laboratories Dolby Laboratories develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For more than four decades, Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound.
 6 Pacific Online Ltd Pacific Online Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides Internet advertising services in the People’s Republic of China.
 7 Epocrates, Inc. Epocrates is a leading provider of mobile drug reference tools and interactive services to healthcare professionals and the healthcare industry. Epocrates’ active user network currently has more than one million healthcare professionals, including more than 45 percent of U.S. physicians.
 8 Xilinx, Inc. Xilinx’s strategy is to deliver application-optimized XtremeDSP solutions on the industry’s most compelling performance per dollar reconfigurable DSP using Xilinx programmable devices.
 9 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, provides customers with uncompromised protection against all types of threats, reduces security complexity and lowers total cost of ownership.
 10 QUALCOMM Incorporated Qualcomm Incorporated is the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of wireless communications, connecting people more closely to information, entertainment and each other.
 11 Research In Motion Research In Motion (RIM), is the designer and manufacturer of the award-winning BlackBerry smartphone. The company also creates software for businesses and the operating system that allows the BlackBerry smartphone to provide mobile access to email, IM, apps, media files, the Internet and more.
 12 GTL Limited GTL Limited. The Group’s principal activities are to provide network engineering and customer management solutions, other allied businesses such as Enterprise Networks, E-Business Infrastructure and Software Development. The products and services range from building complex voice and data networks t
 13 Rovi Corporation Rovi Corporation (formerly Macrovision Solutions Corporation) is a leader in powering the discovery and enjoyment of digital entertainment—connecting consumers with the best entertainment experiences possible.
 14 Broadcom Corporation Broadcom Corporation is a prominent technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment.
 15 j2 Global Communications, Inc. Founded in 1995, j2 Global Communications, Inc. provides outsourced, value-added messaging and communications services to individuals and businesses around the world. j2 Global’s network spans more than 4,600 cities in 49 countries on six continents.
 16 Teradyne Inc. Teradyne, Inc. is the leading supplier of Automatic Test Equipment used to test complex electronics used in the consumer electronics, automotive, computing, telecommunications, and aerospace and defense industries.
 17 Intel Corporation Intel is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices.
 18 Global Traffic Network, Inc. Global Traffic Network provides custom traffic and news reports to radio and television stations outside the US. It operates the largest traffic and news network in Australia, operates traffic networks in eight Canadian markets and the largest national radio traffic network across the UK.
 19 Moody’s Corporation Moody’s Corporation is an essential component of the global capital markets, providing credit ratings, research, tools and analysis that contribute to transparent and integrated financial markets.
 20 Advent Software, Inc. Advent Software’s quality software, data, services and tools enable financial professionals to improve service and communication to their clients, allowing them to grow their business while controlling costs.
 21 Softbank Corporation Softbank Corporation is a leading Internet company that aims to provide a range of services including mobile communications, broadband infrastructure, fixed-line telecommunications, internet culture, and others.
 22 Attachmate/Novell Novell, Inc., a leader in Intelligent Workload Management, helps organizations securely deliver and manage computing services across physical, virtual and cloud computing environments.
 23 SolarWinds SolarWinds provides powerful and affordable IT management software to customers worldwide — from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses. SolarWinds products are downloadable, easy to use and maintain, and provide the power, scale, and flexibility needed to address users’ management priorities.
 24 F5 Networks Inc. F5 Networks is the global leader in Application Delivery Networking. F5 provides solutions that make applications secure, fast and available for everyone, helping organizations get the most out of their investment. F5 optimizes applications and allows them to work faster and consume fewer resources.
 25 ANSYS, Inc. ANSYS, Inc., founded in 1970, develops and globally markets engineering simulation software and technologies widely used by engineers, designers, researchers and students across a broad spectrum of industries and academia.

Some disclaimers:

  • The profit-per-employee formula I used was simply net income for the most recent fiscal year divided by the number of employees the company most recently reported it had.
  • Private companies (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) are not included.
  • Some of the numbers may be a bit of “apples and oranges” when you compare them and also out of date (especially for fast growing (or rapidly slowing) companies).

Thanks again for the data, MANDASOFT!

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