POS World, Ranks #169 on the 2004 Inc. 500

The companies that made this list have thrived despite continued stagnation in the economy, posting an average year-over-year sales growth of 265%. Inc. 500 companies posted aggregate 2003 revenue of $12.6 billion, and 82% of them were profitable. And while the United States shed 410,000 jobs in 2003, Inc. 500 companies provided employment for more than 70,000 people. Further demonstrating the resilience of this year’s Inc. 500 crop is the fact that 102 of this year’s honorees started in 1999—meaning that they weathered the start-up costs of the overcapitalized boom and thrived during the impending bust that was one of the toughest periods for young companies in recent memory. The Inc. 500 ranks privately held companies according to averaged year-over-year sales growth over the past four years. With approximately 75% of all new job creation in the U.S. coming from small businesses, the Inc. 500 is a prescient indicator of the companies and industries that are driving the economy forward. Eighty-five companies (17%) on this year’s Inc. 500 say they plan to go public at some point.