Elbit Systems Ltd (ESLT)

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Four Israeli companies make top 100 largest defense firms

By Ora Coren

Four Israeli companies have been ranked among the world's 100 largest defense firms by Defense News, a leading industry publication. The firms - Israel Aviation Industry (IAI), Elbit, Rafael and the Israel Military Industries (IMI) - were ranked based on revenues from defense-related activity, though some of the companies also have civilian operations.

The IAI dropped from the 31st place last year to 33rd this year, but with annual sales of $1.746 billion (or 62 percent of its total sales of $2.813 billion) remains the largest Israeli company in defense-related sales.

Elbit rose from the 46th spot last year to 39 this year, with defense sales of $1.402 billion, or 92.2 percent of its total sales. Rafael climbed from the 57th place to the 49th, with sales of $1.056 billion - all defense related. IMI also climbed the chart, from 92nd place last year to 84th this year, with defense sales of $481.6 million.

Elbit was also the only Israeli firm to be included in the leading space and aviation weekly, Aviation Week, which ranked the leading public companies in the world based on growth rates over the past five years. Elbit was also awarded a mention on the weekly's cover page, advertising an interview with the company's CEO Joseph Ackerman. Elbit was ranked in 17th in 2006 performance worldwide, and 18th in performance between 2002 and 2006

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/886363.html