Companies · Puzzle #36 · Wednesday, November 4
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
- On the Nasdaq: 10 pts if listed on the Nasdaq
- Workforce: 1.5 pts per doubling over 2,500 staff, at year end
- Buybacks: 1 pt per doubling over $10M, last year
- Cash on hand: 1.5 pts per doubling over $200M, at year end
- Heritage: 1 pt per 15 years old
- Dividends: 1 pt per doubling over $5M, last year
- Assets: 1.5 pts per doubling over $3B, 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
Qualcomm
Chips and modems inside smartphones
On this board Qualcomm scored best in On the Nasdaq (10.0): it trades on the Nasdaq. Heritage was its weakest fit (2.7): founded in 1985, 41 years ago.
- Profit
- $5.5B profit in the year to September 2025 (7.8) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- Workforce
- 52,000 employees at the end of September 2025 (6.6) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- Buybacks
- $8.8B of its own stock bought back in the year to September 2025 (9.8) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- Cash on hand
- $5.5B in cash at the end of September 2025 (7.2) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- Heritage
- founded in 1985, 41 years ago (2.7) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- Dividends
- $3.8B paid in dividends in the year to September 2025 (9.6) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
- Assets
- $50.1B in assets at the end of September 2025 (6.1) Source: QUALCOMM INC/DE 10-K, filed 2025-11-05
Allstate
Home and car insurance
Allstate's best fit on this board was Profit, worth 9.1: $10.3B profit in the year to December 2025. Its weakest was On the Nasdaq, worth 0.0, since it trades on the NYSE.
- Profit
- $10.3B profit in the year to December 2025 (9.1) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the NYSE (0.0) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Workforce
- 53,300 employees at the end of December 2025 (6.6) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Buybacks
- $1.2B of its own stock bought back in the year to December 2025 (6.9) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Cash on hand
- $678M in cash at the end of December 2025 (2.6) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Heritage
- founded in 1931, 95 years ago (6.3) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Dividends
- $1.0B paid in dividends in the year to December 2025 (7.7) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Assets
- $119.8B in assets at the end of December 2025 (8.0) Source: ALLSTATE CORP 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
TJX (T.J. Maxx)
Off-price stores T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Levi Strauss
Levi's jeans
On this board Levi Strauss scored best in Heritage (10.0): founded in 1853, 173 years ago. On the Nasdaq was its weakest fit (0.0): it trades on the NYSE.
- Profit
- $578M profit in the year to November 2025 (2.9) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the NYSE (0.0) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- Workforce
- 19,000 employees at the end of November 2025 (4.4) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- Buybacks
- $31M of its own stock bought back in the year to November 2025 (1.6) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- Cash on hand
- $758M in cash at the end of November 2025 (2.9) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- Heritage
- founded in 1853, 173 years ago (10.0) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- Dividends
- $213M paid in dividends in the year to November 2025 (5.4) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
- Assets
- $6.8B in assets at the end of November 2025 (1.8) Source: LEVI STRAUSS & CO 10-K, filed 2026-01-28
Ally Financial
Online bank and car loans
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Oracle
Database software and cloud computing
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Abbott
Medical devices, diagnostics and Ensure
Abbott's best fit on this board was Dividends, worth 9.7: $4.1B paid in dividends in the year to December 2025. Its weakest was On the Nasdaq, worth 0.0, since it trades on the NYSE.
- Profit
- $6.5B profit in the year to December 2025 (8.2) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the NYSE (0.0) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Workforce
- 115,000 employees at the end of December 2025 (8.3) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Buybacks
- $893M of its own stock bought back in the year to December 2025 (6.5) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Cash on hand
- $8.5B in cash at the end of December 2025 (8.1) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Heritage
- founded in 1888, 138 years ago (9.2) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Dividends
- $4.1B paid in dividends in the year to December 2025 (9.7) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
- Assets
- $86.7B in assets at the end of December 2025 (7.3) Source: ABBOTT LABORATORIES 10-K, filed 2026-02-20
Hertz
Car rental
On this board Hertz scored best in On the Nasdaq (10.0): it trades on the Nasdaq. Profit was its weakest fit (0.0): a $747M loss in the year to December 2025.
- Profit
- a $747M loss in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- On the Nasdaq
- trades on the Nasdaq (10.0) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- Workforce
- 26,000 employees at the end of December 2025 (5.1) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- Buybacks
- no buybacks in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- Cash on hand
- $565M in cash at the end of December 2025 (2.2) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- Heritage
- founded in 1977, 49 years ago (3.3) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- Dividends
- no dividends in the year to December 2025 (0.0) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26
- Assets
- $22.3B in assets at the end of December 2025 (4.3) Source: HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26