BP plc (BP) BP p.l.c. provides fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services, and petrochemicals products. The company operates in three segments: Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Gas, Power, and Renewables. The Exploration and Production segment engages in the oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production. It has exploration and production activities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Angola, Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Russia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East. This segment also owns and manages crude oil and natural gas pipelines; processing and export terminals; and liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing facilities and transportation. BP p.l.c. has interests in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, the Forties Pipeline System, the Central Area Transmission System pipeline, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, as well as in four LNG plants located in Trinidad, Indonesia, and Australia. As of December 31, 2006, the company's net proved reserves consisted of 5,893 million barrels of liquids and 42,168 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The Refining and Marketing segment engages in the supply and trading, refining, marketing, and transportation of crude oil, petroleum, and chemical products to wholesale and retail customers. The Gas, Power, and Renewables segment involves in marketing and trading gas and power; marketing LNG; processing, fractionating, and marketing of ethane, propane, butanes, and pentanes extracted from natural gas; and low-carbon power generation. The company operates in Europe, the United States, Canada, Russia, South America, Australasia, Asia, and Africa. BP p.l.c. was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) Starbucks Corporation engages in the purchase, roasting, and sale of whole bean coffees worldwide. The company offers brewed coffees, espresso beverages, cold blended beverages, various complementary food items, coffee-related accessories and equipment, a selection of premium teas, and a line of compact discs through its retail stores. It also sells coffee and tea products; and licenses its trademark for retail store operations, and grocery and warehouse club stores, as well as to produce and distribute its branded products. In addition, Starbucks produces and sells ready-to-drink beverages, which include bottled coffee drinks, espresso drinks, and a line of ice creams. The company's brand portfolio includes superpremium Tazo teas, Starbucks Hear Music compact discs, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Torrefazione Italia coffee. It operates retail stores primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Australia, Germany, China, Singapore, Puerto Rico, Chile, and Ireland. As of June 15, 2007, the company operated approximately 12,000 retail stores. Starbucks was founded in 1985 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership warehouses that offer a selection of branded and private label products in a range of merchandise categories in no-frills, self-service warehouse facilities. Its product categories include candy, snack foods, tobacco, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and cleaning and institutional supplies; dry and institutionally packaged foods; meat, bakery, deli, and produce; appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, office supplies, garden and patio, sporting goods, furniture, cameras, and automotive supplies; apparel, domestics, jewelry, house wares, media, home furnishings, and small appliances; and gas stations, pharmacy, food court, optical, one-hour photo, hearing aid, and travel. Costco offers Business, Gold Star (individual), and Executive Memberships. As of October 12, 2006, the company operated 488 warehouses, including 359 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 68 in Canada, 18 in the United Kingdom, 5 in Korea, 4 in Taiwan, 5 in Japan, and 29 in Mexico. Costco also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce Web site, at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada. The company was founded in 1976. It was formerly known as Price/Costco, Inc. and changed its name to Costco Companies, Inc. in 1997. Further, the company changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation in 1999. Costco is based in Issaquah, Washington.

Dell Inc. (DELL) Dell, Inc. and its subsidiaries engage in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and support of various computer systems and services to customers worldwide. The company's products and services enable customers to build their information technology and Internet infrastructures. It offers various products, including desktop computer systems and workstations; mobility products, such as notebook computers, mobile workstations, MP3 players, and handhelds; software and peripherals that consist of printers and displays, projectors, peripheral products, software titles, notebook accessories, networking and wireless products, digital cameras, power adapters, scanners, and other products; servers and networking products; and storage devices. Dell also provides various services, which comprise assessment, design, and implementation services; deployment services; asset recovery and recycling services; training services; enterprise support services; client support services; and managed lifecycle services. Further, it offers various financing alternatives, asset management services, and other customer financial services for business and consumer customers in the United States, through Dell Financial Services L.P., a joint venture between the company and CIT Group, Inc. The company sells its products directly to large corporate, government, healthcare, and education accounts, as well as small-to-medium businesses and individual consumers. Dell operates principally in the United States, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific-Japan. The company was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell as Dell Computer Corporation and changed its name to Dell, Inc. in 2003. Dell is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas.

NISSAN MTR SPON AD (NSANY)