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International Comparisons of Company Profitability
An analysis of world profitability, based on data from 34 countries, covering factors such as rates of return, net operating surplus and capital employed.
In the first World survey (January 2000), UK companies were amongst the most profitable in the world. Based on 1998 data, the UK probably had the most profitable service sector in the world. The data for 1999 and 2000 published in October by the ONS revealed, however, that rates of return in UK manufacturing fell to 6 per cent, the lowest since 1993. Although profitability in the UK service sector was twice as high as in manufacturing, it had fallen 3 percentage points from the levels reported in 1998.
In the second International survey, 34 countries responded and we received new data from 8 countries. For the first time, a ranking of countries by recent profitability is presented.
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