Ayala firms dominate FEER survey

The Ayala-controlled companies dominated the latest regional survey of Asia’s leading companies commissioned by the prestigious financial publication Far Eastern Economic Review (FFER).

In the 2002 FEER Review 200, three Ayala firms – holding unit Ayala Corp., telecom subsidiary Globe Telecom and banking arm Bank of the Philippine Islands – all made it to the elite Top 10 list of the best Philippine companies.

The survey included a broad list of 210 multinational companies and 25 to 37 local companies in each of 12 Asian countries, ranked by 2,457 readers most of whom are in top management positions. Internationally-recognized research firm AC Nielsen conducted the poll, which covered a cross-section of industries including manufacturing, banking, insurance and finance, professional and consultancy services, engineering, government, information technology, and property development.

Among the Philippine companies, those catering directly to consumers dominated the list, with the likes of fastfood leader Jollibee Foods Corp., food and beverage conglomerate San Miguel Corp., mall developer SM Prime Holdings, pharmaceutical giant Mercury Drug and mobile phone operators Globe and Smart Communications.

The rest of the Philippines’ cream of the crop include BPI, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., and broadcasting station GMA Network – the newest addition to the list after it edged out its main competitor, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.

For the fifth straight year, Jollibee topped the survey, as it consistently ranked high in the five leadership categories included in the survey: high-quality services and products, long-term management vision, innovative response to consumer needs, financial soundness, and a company that others try to emulate.

Ayala Corp., however, ranked the highest in long-term vision, followed by San Miguel and SM Prime. It also joined Jollibee and San Miguel as the top three companies that others try to emulate.

The holding firm also made it to top five in terms of financial soundness, with BPI taking the lead spot, along with Metrobank, San Miguel, and SM Prime.

Globe Telecom, on the other hand, was second among those with innovative response to customer needs, with Jollibee in the top spot while Globe’s rival, Smart Communications, trailing at third.

Leading the country in high quality products and services were San Miguel, Jollibee and Globe, which also ranked fifth in an analysis of EBITADA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ) margins among cellular phone operators in the region.