HLL has retained its top position as the "Company that others try to emulate", also for the fourth consecutive year.

Further, the Asiaweek 1998 survey of Asia's 1,000 largest corporations has ranked HLL 12th in the continent in `Return of Equity', and 13th in `Return on Assets'.

The company's overall ranking in terms of sales is 579, compared with 709 in the 1997 survey. Meanwhile, the Asiamoney magazine has rated HLL as one of the `Best Managed Companies'.

The Far Eastern Economic Review annual survey called the `Review 200' rates companies on five parameters which comprise, "company that others try to emulate", "innovative in responding to customer needs", "management has long term vision, "financial soundness" and "high qualityservices/products".

HLL has been rated second in being innovative, having long-term vision and financial soundness, and third in terms of quality of services/products.

In the survey the publication has said that HLL demonstrates how focus on long-term growth and core operations pays off, adding that the company has strengthened its position by holding down costs, improving existing products and introducing new lines. It says that the company's innovative offerings show an understanding of customer habits.

The Unilever subsidiary is a Rs 7,819.71 crore conglomerate which has strengthened its financial muscle through a spate of mergers and acquisitions. The most recent merger was that of erstwhile sister concern Pond's India Ltd with HLL. The company also bought out Tata's 50 per cent stake in the cosmetics joint venture company Lakme Lever early this year.