As a new decade is waiting to dawn and the world gears up to bid adieu to the first decade of the 21^st century, as we get ready to welcome 2011 and say goodbye to 2010, and as we stop and look back, in hindsight, at the decade gone by, the greatest revelation of the decade, as far as India Inc. is concerned, is: the big winners are not the poster boys of the so-called new economy, but the companies from the traditional, old-fashioned brick-and-mortar economy; and, that more than the eyeballs, it is the footfalls that are important (ask any retailer worth its salt), which hold key to success and sustainability in the long run. To get a glimpse into how, over the years and at the end of the decade, these old veterans have outsmarted new economy firms, look at our annual study The Analyst 500.

Two years after the financial cataclysm that hit the global businesses hard in 2008, India Inc. is smiling once again, having scripted a smart turnaround from the worst economic crisis in decades, possibly since the World War II. And more than the big boys of Indian businesses, it's the smaller, nimble-footed rivals which are back with a vengeance, so suggests our annual study. Yes, the much-awaited The Analyst 500 is back to tell you about the best and the largest public-listed companies in India for the Financial Year (FY) 2009-10.

The annual survey, which is into its seventh edition this year, presents insights into the performances of the top 500 companies in our list using key parameters like Net Sales, Operating Profit Margin, PBDIT, and Profit After Tax, among others. To further improve the quality of analysis and provide a much bigger picture of firms' performances from the perspective of our esteemed readers, this year, we have added a few more parameters like Book Value per share, Assets, P/E, P/BV, and 1-, 3- and 5-year returns among others.

At the outset, as a quick glance would tell you, while the story may not be equally encouraging across the board, nevertheless, a large number of firms have successfully emerged from the aftershocks of the worldwide economic crisis, post-October 2008. Also, a good number of corporates have not only grown their top line, but their bottom line growth too has been equally robust and impressive. Another significant revelation that emerges out of our annual study is that the big winners are not the poster boys of the so-called new economy companies, but the companies from the traditional, old-fashioned brick-and-mortar economy: only three software companies figure in the top 50 companies list in terms of net sales as well as net profits. This vindicates the fact that brick-and-mortar is not only alive but kicking too. The dominance of the old economy firms continue when it comes to some other key parameters like net profit margins and operating margins. In terms of shareholder returns too, old economies are miles ahead of their new economy brethren.

The Analyst Magazine, Analyst 500, Economic Crisis, Global Businesses, Indian Oil Corporation, Banking Sectors, Technology Firms, Transportation Networks, Road Transport Services, Steel Industry, Power Grid Corporation, Market Capitalization, Reliance Industries, Business Segments, Public Sector Bank, Pharmaceutical Industry.