NutriSystem Tops FORTUNE's 100 Fastest-Growing Companies List

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FORTUNE announced today its 17^th annual list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies. Topping the ranking is NutriSystem of Horsham, Pa., an online diet company that saw profits soar at a rate of 433% annually over the past three years, while its stock returned a total of 244%.

“For the third year in a row, the list is gushing oil; 37 energy companies made our cut, compared with 19 in 2005 (when oil prices were already exploding)”

Rounding out the top ten are: Hansen Natural, Corona, Calif. (No. 2), energy-drinks maker with Monster brands; Arena Resources, Tulsa (No. 3), a seven-year-old oil-and-gas firm operating in four states; Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, Calif. (No. 4), surgical-robot maker; Titanium Metals, Dallas (No. 5), metal producer; Apple, Cupertino, Calif. (No. 6), most recently creator of the iPhone; RTI International Metals, Niles, Ohio (No. 7), specialty-metal maker; Dynamic Materials, Boulder, Colo. (No. 8), explosion-welder of incompatible metals; Southern Copper, Phoenix (No. 9), mining company; and Global Industries, Carlyss, La. (No. 10), marine construction company. FORTUNE’s 100 Fastest-Growing list and related stories appear in the September 17 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands September 10 and at www.FORTUNE.com on September 4.

“For the third year in a row, the list is gushing oil; 37 energy companies made our cut, compared with 19 in 2005 (when oil prices were already exploding),” say Yuval Rosenberg and Eugenia Levenson in their introduction to the list. “It’s no wonder, with the price of crude still hovering around $70 a barrel. But there’s much more than just petrodollars in this assemblage.”

Internet and technology companies made a strong showing with 17 names, from A (Apple) to, well V (Vasco Data Security). Strong sales of iMacs and laptops helped Apple break into the top ten this year at No. 6. IT services provider Cognizant Technology appears for the fifth consecutive year in a row, giving it the longest current streak.

As the housing market reeled, homebuilders Toll Brothers and Meritage Homes dropped off the list. But other seemingly fleeting trends—energy drinks, laser cosmetics, UGG boots—proved to have surprising staying power. Metals and mining companies have also continued to shine, taking 12 spots on the list. And then there’s the new No. 1: NutriSystem, the weight-loss business that has expanded even faster than America’s waistline. This year’s list of FORTUNE’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies offers a fascinating snapshot of which sectors—and in particular, which companies—have blossomed in recent times.

To determine the rankings, FORTUNE uses data from Zacks Investment Research and evaluates each company based on three years of revenue and profit, as well as total return. A detailed explanation of FORTUNE’s methodology is available at www.FORTUNE.com.