Companies · Puzzle #29 · Wednesday, October 28
Companies: the board
Eight items, eight categories, one place each. Here is the board with every figure and where it comes from, and the best way to place them. Play today's Companies.
The categories
- Dividends: 1 pt per doubling over $5M, last year
- Sales: 1.5 pts per doubling over $1.5B, last year
- Cash on hand: 1.5 pts per doubling over $200M, at year end
- Sales per employee: 2 pts per doubling over $60K a head, last year
- California HQ: 10 pts if based in California
- Assets: 1.5 pts per doubling over $3B, at year end
- On the Nasdaq: 10 pts if listed on the Nasdaq
- Profit: 1.5 pts per doubling over $150M, last year
The best board
The best board is hidden while some of these items are still in play: they're on a board again within 14 days.
The lineup, figure by figure
Verizon
Wireless carrier and Fios internet
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Texas Roadhouse
Steakhouse chain
On this board Texas Roadhouse scored best in On the Nasdaq (10.0): it trades on the Nasdaq. Cash on hand was its weakest fit (0.0): $135M in cash at the end of December 2025.
- Dividends
- $180M paid in dividends in the year to December 2025 (5.2) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- Sales
- $5.9B in sales in the year to December 2025 (3.0) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- Cash on hand
- $135M in cash at the end of December 2025 (0.0) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- Sales per employee
- $58K in sales per employee in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- California HQ
- headquartered in Louisville, KY (0.0) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- Assets
- $3.5B in assets at the end of December 2025 (0.4) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
- Profit
- $414M profit in the year to December 2025 (2.2) Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-27
Bank of America
Bank, plus Merrill Lynch
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Airbnb
App for booking homes and stays
Airbnb's best fit on this board was California HQ, worth 10.0: headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Its weakest was Dividends, worth 0.0: no dividends in the year to December 2025.
- Dividends
- no dividends in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- Sales
- $12.2B in sales in the year to December 2025 (4.5) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- Cash on hand
- $6.6B in cash at the end of December 2025 (7.6) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- Sales per employee
- $1.49M in sales per employee in the year to December 2025 (9.3) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- California HQ
- headquartered in San Francisco, CA (10.0) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- Assets
- $22.2B in assets at the end of December 2025 (4.3) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
- Profit
- $2.5B profit in the year to December 2025 (6.1) Source: Airbnb, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-02-12
Apple
Maker of the iPhone, Mac and iPad
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Chipotle
Fast-casual burrito chain
Chipotle's best fit on this board was California HQ, worth 10.0: headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. Its weakest was Dividends, worth 0.0: no dividends in the year to December 2025.
- Dividends
- no dividends in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- Sales
- $11.9B in sales in the year to December 2025 (4.5) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- Cash on hand
- $351M in cash at the end of December 2025 (1.2) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- Sales per employee
- $92K in sales per employee in the year to December 2025 (1.2) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- California HQ
- headquartered in Newport Beach, CA (10.0) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- Assets
- $9.0B in assets at the end of December 2025 (2.4) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the NYSE (0.0) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
- Profit
- $1.5B profit in the year to December 2025 (5.0) Source: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-04
Mastercard
Card payments network
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Pfizer
Drugmaker of vaccines and medicines
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.