Companies · Puzzle #31 · Friday, October 30
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
- Profit: 1.5 pts per doubling over $150M, 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
- Dividends: 1 pt per doubling over $5M, last year
- Assets: 1.5 pts per doubling over $3B, at year end
- Workforce: 1.5 pts per doubling over 2,500 staff, at year end
- Heritage: 1 pt per 15 years old
- Sales: 1.5 pts per doubling over $1.5B, 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
T-Mobile
Wireless carrier
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Realty Income
Owns buildings leased to stores and restaurants
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
McCormick
Spices, seasonings and French's mustard
McCormick's best fit on this board was Heritage, worth 10.0: founded in 1669, 357 years ago. Its weakest was Cash on hand, worth 0.0: $96M in cash at the end of November 2025.
- Profit
- $789M profit in the year to November 2025 (3.6) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Cash on hand
- $96M in cash at the end of November 2025 (0.0) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Sales per employee
- $485K in sales per employee in the year to November 2025 (6.0) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Dividends
- $483M paid in dividends in the year to November 2025 (6.6) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Assets
- $13.2B in assets at the end of November 2025 (3.2) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Workforce
- 14,100 employees at the end of November 2025 (3.7) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Heritage
- founded in 1669, 357 years ago (10.0) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
- Sales
- $6.8B in sales in the year to November 2025 (3.3) Source: MCCORMICK & CO INC 10-K, filed 2026-01-22
Hyatt
Hotels, including Park Hyatt and Andaz
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Humana
Health insurance, mostly Medicare plans
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Comcast
Xfinity internet, NBC and Universal
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Medtronic
Medical devices like pacemakers and insulin pumps
On this board Medtronic scored best in Dividends (9.5): $3.6B paid in dividends in the year to April 2026. Cash on hand was its weakest fit (4.9): $1.9B in cash at the end of April 2026.
- Profit
- $4.8B profit in the year to April 2026 (7.5) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Cash on hand
- $1.9B in cash at the end of April 2026 (4.9) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Sales per employee
- $383K in sales per employee in the year to April 2026 (5.3) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Dividends
- $3.6B paid in dividends in the year to April 2026 (9.5) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Assets
- $93.0B in assets at the end of April 2026 (7.4) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Workforce
- 95,000 employees at the end of April 2026 (7.9) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Heritage
- founded in 1949, 77 years ago (5.1) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
- Sales
- $36.4B in sales in the year to April 2026 (6.9) Source: Medtronic plc 10-K, filed 2026-06-18
Tesla
Electric cars, batteries and solar
On this board Tesla scored best in Cash on hand (9.6): $16.5B in cash at the end of December 2025. Dividends was its weakest fit (0.0): no dividends in the year to December 2025.
- Profit
- $3.8B profit in the year to December 2025 (7.0) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Cash on hand
- $16.5B in cash at the end of December 2025 (9.6) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Sales per employee
- $704K in sales per employee in the year to December 2025 (7.1) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Dividends
- no dividends in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Assets
- $137.8B in assets at the end of December 2025 (8.3) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Workforce
- 134,785 employees at the end of December 2025 (8.6) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Heritage
- founded in 2003, 23 years ago (1.5) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29
- Sales
- $94.8B in sales in the year to December 2025 (9.0) Source: Tesla, Inc. 10-K, filed 2026-01-29