The International Top 30

The proliferation of Facebook has brought new life to “like.” Drones everywhere “like” this and “like” that…too bad there’s no “unlike” button to tell friends how we really feel about photos of their pets—or their kids. Like is prominent in this edition of the International Top 30, too.

With currencies plunging around the world, marketers had a hard time keeping up. In fact, most didn’t and while they were forced to report declining sales, they were quick to point out that the bulk of declines were due to currency fluctuations…but on a “like-for-like” basis, well, that’s a different story. We’re always amused about how bean counters are quick to play the currency rate card to make poor results disappear, but when currency counts the other way, well then, in that case, “sales rose on the strength of management decisions and solid execution!”

McKinsey & Company recently produced a primer on how companies can get a better handle on currency risk. The takeaway is that managers can’t always hedge against every currency risk and often shouldn’t try. But once managers understand how different risks work and interact, they can better measure and manage them. The consulting company provided guidance on deciding which currency risks to manage and which currency risks can’t be managed, all the while urging clients to take a holistic perspective on the issue, focus on cash flow (not earnings) and ultimately, understand the limitations of financial instruments.

But regardless if the euro is moving toward par with the US dollar, or if the Japanese yen is heading toward 100 vs. the greenback, some things just never change when you’re surveying the international beauty and home care landscape. Unilever once again leads the way, comfortably ahead of No. 2 L’Oréal. Rounding out the top five in our International Top 30 are Henkel, Kao and RB. The biggest news from the biggest players is that Unilever is in a buying mood, snapping up a range of brands, even as its biggest competitor, Procter & Gamble is selling them.

We hope you like The International Top 30 and to compare this ranking to our Top 50 list of US companies, visit Happi.com today!

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