20 fastest-growing companies in

Although the world is going through some tough economic times, there are companies that are posting astonishing growth. Fortune magazine has just come out with a list of fastest-growing companies in the world.

1. SXC Health Solutions

Revenue Growth: 151%
Profit Growth: 65%
Total Return: 105%

SXC is both a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) and a service provider to PBMs. With some $72 billion in branded drugs losing patent protection in the next five years, sales of generic alternatives are likely to rise. SXC's PBM unit, which acts as middleman between the insurance company and the pharmacy, could be the beneficiary: It makes more money each time a person uses a generic drug rather than a branded drug. Health care reform also means more people will be covered by Medicaid, which could benefit both of SXC's business lines.

SXC also stands to gain from growth in the use of specialty drugs like those for rheumatoid arthritis. SXC expanded its contract with one of its clients, HealthSpring, which focuses on specialty drugs, and acquired MedFusionRx, a specialty pharmacy provider, in December.
Get stock quote: SXCI
Revenue ($ millions): $2593.9
Net Income ($ millions): $68.2
Industry: Health Care

2. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

Revenue Growth: 63%
Profit Growth: 69%
Total Return: 120%

Green Mountain is known as much for its K-cups, the single-serve coffee pods that are ubiquitous in corporate offices these days, as it is for its coffee. The company dominates the single-serve market and boasts customers such as ConAgra Foods, Starbucks, and Dunkin' Donuts, which use K-cups for hot cocoa, teas and coffees. Some 82% of company sales stem from the pod and the "Keurig Brewing System."

It's lucrative for Green Mountain, which charges the equivalent of $35 a pound for coffee in K-cups, according to Greg Fraser of the GRT Absolute Return fund. But Green Mountain faces the loss of patent protection for the K-Cups in 2012, which could crimp revenues and profits going forward.

Get stock quote: GMCR
Revenue ($ millions): $1912.4
Net Income ($ millions): $113
Industry: Beverages

3. Hi-Tech Pharmacal

Revenue Growth: 51%
Profit Growth: 234%
Total Return: 42%

This maker of generic drugs for allergies, diabetes and pain reported 51% sales gains in 2010 and has continued strong this year with a 45% year-over-year increase in the most recent quarter. The company-which specializes in liquid and spray drugs and makes a popular generic version of the allergy medication Flonase-seems poised for continued growth: It currently has 13 pending generics applications at the Food & Drug Adminstration, addressing more than $1 billion in name-brand drug sales in 2010, according to IMS Health. Besides its generics division, Hi-Tech has two other segments: The health care products division sells branded over-the-counter products. And a line of magnesium supplements, acquired in 2010, has also contributed to sales.
Get stock quote: HITK
Revenue ($ millions): $190.9
Net Income ($ millions): $41.5
Industry: Health Care

Top 100

Rank	Company	Earnings growth	Revenue growth	Total return
1	SXC Health Solutions	65%	151%	105%
2	Green Mountain Coffee Roasters	69%	63%	120%
3	Hi-Tech Pharmacal	234%	51%	42%
4	Baidu	78%	65%	65%
5	Medifast	87%	49%	65%
6	Alexion Pharmaceuticals	82%	75%	37%
7	Discovery Communications	79%	105%	28%
8	Green Plains Renewable Energy	102%	299%	22%
9	Home Inns & Hotel Management	94%	46%	26%
10	Sturm Ruger & Co	848%	24%	49%
11	Cirrus Logic	340%	24%	42%
12	Priceline.com	59%	28%	64%
13	Lululemon Athletica	47%	34%	57%
14	Concho Resources	50%	41%	35%
15	MercadoLibre	72%	33%	32%
16	Silver Wheaton	51%	39%	31%
17	Ares Capital	68%	32%	35%
18	Trina Solar	68%	66%	14%
19	Ebix	48%	42%	30%
20	KapStone Paper and Packaging	39%	44%	35%
21	Apple	57%	37%	26%
22	Coinstar	81%	37%	19%
23	Illumina	95%	30%	20%
24	Netflix	48%	23%	116%
25	Acme Packet	38%	28%	108%
26	IAMGOLD	109%	17%	47%
27	Riverbed Technology	37%	29%	79%
28	Maiden Holdings	49%	49%	17%
29	Eldorado Gold	44%	61%	20%
30	Credit Acceptance	57%	22%	49%
31	VanceInfo Technologies	31%	44%	40%
32	First Financial Bancorp	42%	40%	26%
33	AboveNet	160%	16%	36%
34	Cree	77%	32%	14%
35	Salesforce.com	48%	29%	30%
36	MarketAxess Holdings	52%	19%	51%
37	Lincoln Educational Services	102%	28%	16%
38	HMS Holdings	37%	27%	53%
39	First Solar	50%	64%	-21%
40	Encore Capital Group	55%	16%	52%
41	InterDigital	153%	22%	19%
42	Ctrip.com International	38%	38%	23%
43	United Therapeutics	50%	41%	4%
44	LivePerson	32%	25%	71%
45	Amazon.com	30%	31%	41%
46	Steven Madden	48%	15%	66%
47	Volterra Semiconductor	141%	24%	13%
48	F5 Networks	41%	18%	57%
49	TriQuint Semiconductor	86%	23%	19%
50	STEC	131%	19%	18%
51	O'Reilly Automotive	25%	31%	43%
52	DG	38%	33%	23%
53	Cubist Pharmaceuticals	40%	29%	26%
54	Chipotle Mexican Grill	40%	18%	55%
55	NetScout Systems	69%	18%	25%
56	Harbin Electric	34%	90%	2%
57	Celgene	56%	33%	-2%
58	NetEase.com	25%	39%	27%
59	Neutral Tandem	54%	32%	0%
60	Thoratec	93%	15%	24%
61	Cninsure	43%	38%	1%
62	Insituform Technologies	61%	25%	11%
63	Research In Motion	39%	49%	-37%
64	Allegiant Travel	41%	19%	39%
65	Deckers Outdoor	38%	29%	24%
66	EZCORP	28%	26%	41%
67	American Public Education	37%	40%	4%
68	TransGlobe Energy	33%	26%	31%
69	Signature Bank	42%	19%	30%
70	New Oriental Education & Technology Group	25%	38%	24%
71	HealthSpring	28%	25%	40%
72	Life Technologies	28%	48%	10%
73	Cyberonics	146%	16%	9%
74	DeVry	46%	29%	4%
75	Perrigo	36%	17%	41%
76	American Equity Investment Life Holding	17%	45%	17%
77	VistaPrint	32%	29%	21%
78	Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance	29%	16%	79%
79	Cognizant Technology Solutions	26%	27%	31%
80	Newmont Mining	69%	20%	2%
81	IPC The Hospitalist	29%	23%	35%
82	AsiaInfo Holdings	30%	37%	12%
83	FBL Financial Group	51%	17%	20%
84	Broadcom	62%	19%	8%
85	BJ's Restaurants	20%	17%	75%
86	First Cash Financial Services	26%	21%	41%
87	Intuitive Surgical	33%	30%	11%
88	Epoch Holding	22%	27%	31%
89	Sohu.com	33%	38%	1%
90	Buffalo Wild Wings	25%	23%	39%
91	Enstar Group	46%	24%	6%
92	MWI Veterinary Supply	29%	21%	35%
93	Almost Family	32%	37%	1%
94	Zhongpin	26%	42%	-6%
95	Blue Coat Systems	37%	24%	16%
96	LHC Group	37%	30%	0%
97	Walter Energy	38%	27%	3%
98	ITT Educational Services	45%	24%	-2%
99	American Science and Engineering	39%	19%	17%
100	Catalyst Health Solutions	26%	23%	23%