The top 10 companies on the Business Journal’s 2009 list of 100 fast-growing private companies were honored for their eye-catching, two-year growth Thursday at an awards ceremony in Irvine.
Growth at the 10 companies ranged from 286% to nearly 7,000%.
The growth rates are particularly impressive given the dramatic economic slowdown of the past year or so.
Some of the companies have grown by targeting niches that do well in slower times, including healthcare, refurbished electronics, investing in foreclosed homes and providing debt reduction services.
The top 10 companies:
No. 1 Mission Viejo-based Pacific Pharmacy Group, an acquirer and operator of independent pharmacies, with two-year growth of 6944% on annual sales of $29 million.
No. 2 Mission Viejo-based Stone Equity Group LLC, which works with individual investors to acquire foreclosed homes, with two-year growth of 2,990% on yearly sales of $10.7 million.
No. 3 Debtmerica LLC of Santa Ana, which works with borrowers to reduce debt, with growth of 1,462% on yearly sales of $17 million.
No. 4 Most Brand Development + Advertising, an Aliso Viejo advertising agency, with growth of 790% on sales of $32 million.
No. 5 Networks in Motion Inc., an Aliso Viejo wireless software maker, with growth of 717% and sales of $62 million.
No. 6 Anaheim-based Point One Technologies Inc., a seller of refurbished and surplus consumer electronics, with growth of 637% and sales of $169 million, the most among the top 10.
No. 7 Santa Ana-based Stearns Lending Inc., a provider of mortgages and related services, with growth of 614% and sales of $93 million.
No. 8 Irvine-based Cosemi Technologies Inc., a maker of optical chips for computer gear and consumer electronics, with growth of 300% and sales of $1.6 million.
No. 9 San Juan Capistrano-based Monkey Hook LLC, maker of an easy-to-use picture hanging hook, with growth of 290% and sales of $2.1 million.
No. 10 Incipio Technologies of Irvine, a maker of cases of cell phones and other handheld devices, with growth of 286% and sales of $10.7 million.
The companies were honored at an event put on by the Business Journal at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.
They are profiled in Monday’s edition of the Business Journal. The issue also features the list with all 100 fast-growing private companies, which combined saw sales rise 34% in the past two years to $19.6 billion.
The list ranks companies by sales for the 12 months through June versus the same period through June 2007.
It includes OC-based companies owned by an individual, a group of people, families, venture capitalists, private equity firms or other investors.
Companies had to have had sales of at least $300,000 for the 12 months through June 2007 to be considered.
