6111 N. River Rd., Rosemont 60018; 847-698-3000
Web site: www.comdisco.com
Founded: 1969
Employees: 2,494; 1,253 in Illinois
Year-end: Sept. 30
Foreign sales: 23 percent of $2.82 billion
Chief executive: Jack Slevin, 61, since 1994
Cash compensation: $1,004,111, down 8 percent
Options granted: $604,890, down 88 percent
Options, stock appreciation rights exercised: $4,299
Shares owned: 853,266 of 74.3 million
Largest shareholder: Pontikes Trust, 13 percent
Stock: 365-day close as of April 15
High: $44.12
Low: $18.81
April 15: $43.81
April 17, 1998, value of $1,000 in company stock:
Purchased 1997: $2,256
Purchased 1993: $6,724
Comdisco has consistently churned out solid earnings and revenue growth, thanks in part to its role as one of the only independent providers of leased computer equipment to large and midsize firms.
But the fastest-growing part of its business is information technology services, such as providing backup computer systems in case of a disaster or any interruption to critical business functions.
Comdisco also plans to continue to expand programming and systems integration and other services, and is beginning to benefit from its expansion into Europe, which should provide fuel for future growth.
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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. Here’s a quick primer on the information you’ll find:
– The CEO’s cash compensation, including bonus and other compensation paid in 1997, 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.
– Estimated current values of stock options granted the CEO, and the change from the prior year, as well as options and stock appreciation rights exercised during the year. In most cases, the value of options granted is based on an assumption of a 5 percent annual rate of stock price growth, or is determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
– Theoretical total-return investment results for shares purchased for $1,000 a year ago and five years ago. The date on which these calculations are based is April 17. 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.
– Bloomberg News, New York.
– “Hoover’s Handbook,” The Reference Press Inc., Austin, Texas.
