Private 150 slideshow: Our annual ranking of the state’s privately held companies

July 20, 2016
Written by Kim Moore
Published in Professional Services
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Overall revenue drops, although growth remains strong in select sectors.

Annual gross revenue at Oregon’s Private 150 companies declined 6% from the previous year. But some sectors showed strong growth, indicating a mixed economic picture for the state’s business sector.

Overall sales reported by this year’s Private 150 companies totaled $36.1 billion. The 6% drop from last year was partly the result of two regular large participants dropping from the list. Door and window manufacturer JELD-WEN, a perennial top revenue earner in the Private 150, moved its global headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina and announced plans to file for an initial public offering of its shares. ESCO Corporation, a maker of steel parts, declined listing this year. The 103-year-old company announced it will close its main plant in Portland in late 2016 or early 2017, partly as a result of the market downturn.

Despite the drop in overall revenue of the Private 150, sales increased 4% for companies that reported financials for the past two years. Average annual revenue of companies in this year’s list is $241 million, a decline of 4.4% on last year.

Revenue in the technology sector grew 17%, cementing Portland’s reputation as a hub for tech companies. Auto retailers performed well, growing revenues by 11%. Other areas of the economy where sales climbed include real estate (11%), construction (5%) financial services (8%), professional and business services (8%) and retail (8%).

One of the worst performing sectors was fuel distribution, with overall revenue declining 31%. The industry’s earnings have been hit by low fuel prices. Revenues were slightly down in manufacturing (less than 1%). Forest products revenue was flat with last year.

Employment in the private sector continued to climb steadily. This year’s Private 150 provided 50,122 jobs, an 8% increase on last year. The state’s unemployment rate of 4.5% is the lowest in more than two decades.

Check out the slideshow below for a photographic ranking of this year's participants.