Top private companies grow 12 percent, despite economy - South Florida Business Journal:

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billion in 2007. The 12 percenr jump came even as pains from the real estater bust registered and economic growthhslowed nationwide. But the list, which is bases on companies reporting their 2007 revenue to the Soutbh FloridaBusiness Journal, shows mixed results acrossz numerous industries with big revenue gains, big declinee and steady returns. Given South Florida's historic reliancre on an increasing population, it's no surprise that real estat and construction-related companies have 28 entries onthe list. The highest-grossinb development company isthe , No. 9 on the Related's revenue dropped from $1.4 billionj to $1.
25 billion - a decline mirrored by many othe r real estate andconstruction companies. three of the five largest in terms of percentageof revenue, are real estates or construction related. saw 213 percent revenue making it the largestrevenue percent-wise, and No. 86 on the list. Kast posted 2007 revenuwe of $95 million, up from $30 million in 2006. General contractor James A. Cummings Inc., No. 36 on the ranked second in percentage ofrevenue growth, at 150 percent. Cumminge built many government facilities, includinh local schools and a garage at Palm BeacnhInternational Airport.
"That wouls explain some of the consistencyand growth," said Waynew Schuchts, managing principal of the Miami offices of tenant representation firm Also impressive in terms of revenues percentage gain was Miami-based . With a leap from $60 million in 2006 to $109 millionb in 2007, Covin posted an 82 percenty revenue gain and ranked 80th on the But real estateand construction-related companies also showed up on the oppositr end of the spectrum with the worsr revenue percentage declines. Key International took the worsthit - a 40.4 percent drop from $282 million in 2006 to $168 milliobn in 2007. Right behind was Gryphon whose revenuedropped 39.
9 percent - from $183 millionh to $110 million. Causeway Lumber, GREC Conversionsd and Current Builders rounded out the five worst revenue percentage declines. "That's the adjustmenyt directly related tothe home-building market - the lumbedr and the construction for the private said real estate analyst Michael Y. Cannon, executive directofr of in Miami. In terms of overall the top five companies look similard tolast year. Still No. 1 is Deerfiel d Beach-based , a diversified automotive companywith $12.2 billionm in revenue. JM Familu is a major distributor forand . Considerinvg the slowdown in the auto its revenue grew an impressive 10 percentfrom $11.1 billion in 2006.
The misfortunw of dealers selling gas-guzzlersa may have been JM's gain. "We are also fortunatwe to have a business partner in Toyota that produces economical cars and trucks that are in deman d in good timesand bad," JM Familh CEO Colin Brown said througjh a spokesperson. Keeping the list's No. 2 spot is Miami-basedr beverage distribution giant . Southern Wine kept the partg going with an 11 percentrevenue gain, from $7.5 billionb to $8.3 billion. Following at No. 3 is Miami'as , which distributes cell phones and globally manage wirelesssupply operations. Brightstar, one of the few technology companiesx onthe list, grew revenue from $3.6 billion to $4.
8 a 32 percent jump. "We saw significant success in a numbe of key marketslike Australia, the U.S. and Latihn America, and continued to grow via geographifc expansion into partsof Asia, Africa and most important via a joint venture with into Brightstar spokeswoman Sally Lange said. No. 4 is West Palm Beach'se , an energy, minerals and commodities Oxbox grew revenue 146percenrt - from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $3.
4 billion in 2007 - and made two major acquisitions last