Business Week's No. 7 - Colgate-Palmolive

No. 7: Colgate-Palmolive

Industry: Consumer StaplesSales: $13.8 billion
Net Income: $1.7 billion
Toothpaste and pet food have had a rough year, with counterfeit and contaminated products grabbing headlines in 2007. Yet Colgate-Palmolive (CL), the New York company whose goods were implicated in both fiascos, has flourished. The weak dollar helped growth overseas. New CEO Ian Cook deserves credit, too. In 2007, sales rose 12.5%, to $13.8 billion, with record market share in several categories. Colgate offset higher ingredient costs by cutting overhead and raising prices. Analysts warn that Cook needs to keep new products flowing as overseas markets mature.