Top 100 return on equity

Rank	Company	Return on average equity
1	Centennial Technologies Inc.	56.93
2	Helix Technology Corp.	50.91
3	Millipore Corp.	49.44
4	Eaton Vance Corp.	49.41
5	TJX Companies Inc.	46.03
6	Waters Corp.	41.97
7	Lo-Jack Corporation	41.28
8	RSA Security Inc.	37.69
9	Teradyne Inc.	36.21
10	LTX Corp.	35.39
11	Analog Devices	32.88
12	Biogen Inc.	31.98
13	Cytyc Corp.	31.54
14	DeWolfe Companies Inc.	29.67
15	MKS Instruments Inc.	29.07
16	Harcourt General Inc.	25.50
17	Matec Corp.	24.52
18	Microfinancial Inc.	23.86
19	Talbots Inc.	23.46
20	Aware Inc.	22.90
21	Mercury Computer Systems Inc.	22.60
22	Fleetboston Financial Corp.	22.37
23	Candela Corp.	21.99
24	Progress Software Corp.	21.77
25	Investors Financial Services Corp.	21.27
26	BJ's Wholesale Club Inc.	21.17
27	Mathsoft Inc.	20.90
28	Lightbridge Inc.	20.69
29	Cognex Corp.	20.63
30	J Jill Group Inc.	20.50
31	Boston Scientific Corp.	20.39
32	State Street Corp.	20.12
33	Polymedica Corp.	19.37
34	Inverness Medical Technolgy	19.19
35	BTU International Inc.	18.83
36	Metrowest Bank	17.85
37	Sonesta International Hotels (Class A)	17.62
38	Tech Ops Sevcon Inc.	17.40
39	Forrester Research Inc.	16.90
40	Neiman-Marcus Group Inc.	16.59
41	Psychemedics Corp.	16.55
42	Dynamics Research Corp.	16.40
43	First Years Inc.	16.23
44	Brooktrout Inc.	16.17
45	Boston Acoustics Inc.	16.03
46	Steinway Musical Instruments Inc.	15.99
47	Tucker Anthony Sutro	15.61
48	Century Bancorp Inc.	15.49
49	Charles River Associates	15.42
50	Hingham Instn For Savings	15.18
51	Alpha Industries Inc.	15.01
52	First Essex Bancorp	14.67
53	ACT Manufacturing Inc.	14.53
54	Saucony Inc. (Class B)	14.51
55	Independent Bank Corp.	14.27
56	Reebok International Ltd.	14.23
57	Medford Bancorp Inc.	14.06
58	Specialty Catalog Corp.	13.51
59	Kronos Inc.	13.22
60	Houghton Mifflin Co.	13.18
61	Commerce Group Inc.	12.23
62	Nstar	12.13
63	Slades Ferry Bancorp	12.10
64	Foilmark Inc.	11.83
65	Cabot Corp.	11.82
66	Affiliated Managers Group Inc.	11.66
67	Zoll Medical Corp.	11.63
68	Genrad Inc.	11.47
69	International Electronics Inc.	11.43
70	Westbank Corp.	11.41
71	Epresence Inc.	11.36
72	Sapient Corp.	11.31
73	American Dental Partners Inc.	11.14
74	Mestek Inc.	10.50
75	Maxwell Shoe Co. Inc. (Class A)	10.16
76	Stride Rite Corp.	10.08
77	Liberty Financial Cos Inc.	9.63
78	Thermo Fibertek Inc.	9.57
79	Genzyme General	8.81
80	Central Bancorp Inc.	8.79
81	Allmerica Financial Corp.	8.60
82	Seacoast Financial Services Corp.	8.51
83	Quaker Fabric Corp.	8.24
84	Wainwright Bank & Trust Co.	8.11
85	Unifirst Corp.	8.07
86	Lifeline Systems Inc.	7.66
87	Novitron International Inc.	7.62
88	Analogic Corp.	6.98
89	American Biltrite Inc.	6.75
90	Mac-Gray Corp.	6.52
91	UFP Technologies Inc.	6.41
92	Designs Inc.	6.30
93	PCD Inc.	6.28
94	Davox Corp.	6.25
95	Bay St Bancorp Inc.	6.17
96	SLI Inc.	5.75
97	Starrett (L.S.) Co. (Class A)	5.42
98	Brooks Automation Inc.	5.23
99	Keane Inc.	5.13
100	Arqule Inc.	4.844
NOTE: Company must have shown a profit from continuing operations in 2000; must not have reported negative common shareholders' equity for the last two years. Data compiled by Compustat.