Companies · Puzzle #30 · Thursday, October 29
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
- Heritage: 1 pt per 15 years old
- Sales per employee: 2 pts per doubling over $60K a head, last year
- On the Nasdaq: 10 pts if listed on the Nasdaq
- California HQ: 10 pts if based in California
- Growth: 1 pt per 2.5% sales growth, last year
- Workforce: 1.5 pts per doubling over 2,500 staff, at year end
- Buybacks: 1 pt per doubling over $10M, last year
- Inventory: 1.5 pts per doubling over $100M, at year end
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
Wendy's
Burger chain with square patties
On this board Wendy's scored best in On the Nasdaq (10.0): it trades on the Nasdaq. California HQ was its weakest fit (0.0): headquartered in Dublin, OH.
- Heritage
- founded in 1969, 57 years ago (3.8) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- Sales per employee
- $146K in sales per employee in the year to December 2025 (2.6) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- California HQ
- headquartered in Dublin, OH (0.0) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- Growth
- sales down 3.1% in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- Workforce
- 14,900 employees at the end of December 2025 (3.9) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- Buybacks
- $201M of its own stock bought back in the year to December 2025 (4.3) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
- Inventory
- $7M of inventory at the end of December 2025 (0.0) Source: Wendy's Co 10-K, filed 2026-02-23
American Express
Credit and charge cards
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Five Below
Discount stores for teens and tweens
On this board Five Below scored best in On the Nasdaq (10.0): it trades on the Nasdaq. California HQ was its weakest fit (0.0): headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.
- Heritage
- founded in 2002, 24 years ago (1.6) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- Sales per employee
- $194K in sales per employee in the year to January 2026 (3.4) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- California HQ
- headquartered in Philadelphia, PA (0.0) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- Growth
- sales up 22.9% in the year to January 2026 (9.2) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- Workforce
- 24,600 employees at the end of January 2026 (4.9) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- Buybacks
- no buybacks in the year to January 2026 (0.0) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
- Inventory
- $847M of inventory at the end of January 2026 (4.6) Source: FIVE BELOW, INC 10-K, filed 2026-03-19
Target
Discount department stores
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
IBM
Business software, consulting and mainframes
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Logitech
Computer mice, keyboards and webcams
On this board Logitech scored best in On the Nasdaq (10.0): it trades on the Nasdaq. Workforce was its weakest fit (2.3): 7,300 employees at the end of March 2026.
- Heritage
- founded in 1981, 45 years ago (3.0) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- Sales per employee
- $663K in sales per employee in the year to March 2026 (6.9) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- California HQ
- headquartered in San Jose, CA (10.0) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- Growth
- sales up 6.3% in the year to March 2026 (2.5) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- Workforce
- 7,300 employees at the end of March 2026 (2.3) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- Buybacks
- $535M of its own stock bought back in the year to March 2026 (5.7) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
- Inventory
- $490M of inventory at the end of March 2026 (3.4) Source: LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL S.A. 10-K, filed 2026-05-21
Aflac
Supplemental insurance, with the duck
On this board Aflac scored best in Sales per employee (9.0): $1.35M in sales per employee in the year to December 2025. On the Nasdaq was its weakest fit (0.0): it trades on the NYSE.
- Heritage
- founded in 1955, 71 years ago (4.7) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- Sales per employee
- $1.35M in sales per employee in the year to December 2025 (9.0) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the NYSE (0.0) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- California HQ
- headquartered in Columbus, GA (0.0) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- Growth
- sales down 9.3% in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- Workforce
- 12,716 employees at the end of December 2025 (3.5) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- Buybacks
- $3.5B of its own stock bought back in the year to December 2025 (8.5) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
- Inventory
- no inventory at the end of December 2025 (0.0) Source: AFLAC INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-25
Cigna
Health insurance, plus Express Scripts
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.