L.A.'s 100 largest private companies: ranked by 2005 revenues

Eighteen privately-held companies headquartered in Los Angeles County surpassed $1 billion in annual revenues for the 2005 fiscal year, led by Platinum Equity LLC.

MDFC Holding Co., David Murdock's holding company for Dole Food Co. and Castle & Cooke Inc., held onto the second spot. Trader Joe's Co. Inc. jumped six spots to the No. 3 position with $5 billion in revenues after the Business Journal revisited its estimate of the South Pasadena company's revenues.

High gas prices contributed to growth at two local independent petroleum companies. No. 13 World Oil, of South Gate, reported $1.2 billion in revenues, up $160 million or 13 percent from the previous year. Revenues at No. 17 United Oil of Gardena increased to just over $1 billion, up $177 million or 20 percent over the previous year.

Many companies on this year's list are not only the largest but also some of the fastest growing businesses headquartered locally. Three companies saw 2005 revenues increase by at least 50 percent over the previous year.

Superior Communications saw the largest year-over-year growth with revenues of $245 million, up $112 million or 85 percent. The manufacturer and distributor of wireless phone accessories moved up to No. 56 on ibis year's list, up 26 spots from the year prior. No. 12 Newegg.com moved up seven spots with 2005 revenues of $1.3 billion, up $320 million.

Apparel and accessories retailer Forever 21 Inc. jumped 11 spots to No. 19 after revenues increased to $924 million, up $281 million compared with the year earlier.

Numerous companies on last year's list no longer qualify due to mergers, acquisitions and relocations. Cook Inlet Energy Supply LLC, No. 4 last year with $3.4 billion in 2004 revenues, was acquired by Sydney-based Macquarie Bank Group. The purchase of the natural gas trader and marketer was announced last November. Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. acquired DreamWorks LLC, No. 18 last year. The motion picture studio founded in 1994 by David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg had previously spun off its successful animation unit DreamWorks Animation SKG before being acquired.

Also closing shop this year was No. 77 Fishking Processors. The Los Angeles-based frozen seafood retailer closed its downtown manufacturing plant after nearly 60 years in operation when owner Nippon Suisan purchased a Georgia-based competitor and merged the operations.

Three companies on last year's list moved headquarters to outside of the county. California Dairies Inc., No. 8 last year with $2.5 billion in 2004 revenues, changed its base to Visalia. STA Travel Inc., No. 56 last year, moved from Los Angeles to Lewisville, Texas. The student travel agency reported $223 million in 2004 revenues.

Call center operator eTelecare Global Solutions, No. 87 last year with $124 million, moved its headquarters to Tucson, Ariz. from Monrovia, although the company still retains a large operation locally.

Overall, the 100 largest privately held companies in L.A. County reported combined revenue of $77.3 billion, up $2.1 billion or 3 percent over the previous year. Listed companies employ more than 220,000 people in more than 1,000 worldwide offices.

THE PACESETTER

PLATINUM EQUITY LLC

Beverly Hills-based Platinum Equity LLC tops the list of the largest privately held companies headquartered in Los Angeles County for the second consecutive year. Platinum Equity's portfolio companies totaled $8 billion in 2005 revenue, holding steady from the previous year.

Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, the firm buys and runs companies operating in sectors that include information technology, software, telecommunications, logistics, manufacturing, health care products and entertainment distribution.

The firm has made three major acquisitions since the beginning of the year. It acquired $1.5 billion PNA Group Inc., a steel processor, in May from TUI AG. A few weeks later it acquired Houston-based Metal Supplies Co. and integrated it into PNA. In July, it acquired Hispanic telecommunications service Americatel Corp. from Entek And its most recent acquisition was made in September when it acquired Textron Fastening Systems, a global provider of fastening technologies, from Textron Inc.

In May, the company reached an agreement to sell portfolio company NextiraOne Europe to ABN Amro Capital France, the French private equity business of ABN Amro Capital. The company was acquired four years ago from Alcatel and was Platinum Equity's first major venture into Europe.

"We broadened the focus of NextiraOne and shifted the business from a predominantly voice solutions provider to a fully enabled provider of integrated (internet protocol) communications and managed services in Europe," Brian Wall, Platinum Equity's managing director for Europe, said in a statement.