205 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60601; 312-228-4500
Website: www.TechSol.com
Founded: 1988
Employees: 1,050; 215 in Illinois
Year-end: May 31
Foreign revenue: 11 percent of $97.6 million
Chief executive: John T. Kohler, 49, since 1995
Cash compensation: $944,000, up 11 percent
Options granted: $179,235, down 33 percent
Options, stock appreciation rights exercised: $996,500
Shares owned: 208,826 of 15.3 million
Largest shareholder: Massachusetts Financial Services, 11.7 percent
Stock: 365-day close as of April 15, 1997
High $47.12
Low: $17.75
April 15: $28.37
April 18, 1997 value of $1,000 in company stock:
Purchased April 18, 1996: $1,579
Purchased April 18, 1992: $1,782
Technology Solutions is one of a small number of business consultancies that advise major companies on strategy and technology issues. It has offices in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Britain.
Last year was a good one for the company. Its revenues, net income, earnings per share and operating income grew markedly during the fiscal year. Still, its stock plunged at year-end after mostly upward growth.
Technology Solutions has increased its staff and client base. Analysts expect its profits to grow as it expands in growing markets, especially telecommunications.
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A guide to the Top 100 profiles
The Tribune’s business staff profiles the Chicago area’s Top 100 companies, based on market capitalization as of April 15, 1997. Here’s a quick primer on the information you’ll find.
– The CEO’s cash compensation, including bonus and other compensation paid in 1996, along with the change from the prior year.
– The figure for the CEO’s stock holdings includes shares the CEO had the right to acquire within 60 days of the proxy statement’s issuance.
– The company’s largest shareholder, as listed in the proxy statement.
– Estimated current values of stock options granted the CEO, as reported in the proxy statement, and the change from the prior year, as well as options and stock appreciation rights exercised during the year. In most cases, the current value of options granted is based on the assumption of a 5 percent annual rate of stock price growth.
– Theoretical total-return investment results for shares purchased for $1,000 a year ago and five years ago. The date on which those calculations are based is April 18. The results assume reinvestment of dividends on a quarterly basis.
The information in the profiles was obtained from the following sources:
– Company reports, including annual reports, public stock offering prospectuses and proxy statements.
– Interviews with company officials.
– Reports by securities analysts.
– News reports.
– Dow Jones News/Retrieval, an on-line service of Dow Jones & Co., New York.
– Bloomberg Business News, New York.
– TMS Stocks, a subsidiary of Tribune Media Services Inc., a unit of Tribune Co., Chicago.
– Morningstar Inc., Chicago.
– “First Chicago Guide,” published by Scholl Communications, Deerfield.
– “Hoover’s Handbook,” The Reference Press Inc., Austin, Texas.
