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Company advances 38 places from last year's listing; Moves up more spaces than any other company on the list -- ANSYS, Inc., a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, today announced it has been named in Business 2.0's B2 100, the magazine's ranking of the fastest- growing technology companies. ANSYS ranked 43 on the list, a leap from 81 in 2003 - moving up more places than any other company on the list. "This recognition is evidence of ANSYS' ability to sustain a record of steady growth and profitability through even the most difficult periods," said Jim Cashman, president and CEO at ANSYS, Inc. "Our consistent corporate focus and financial discipline have enabled us to make key technological advancements to ANSYS offerings and strategic acquisitions that have kept us on track for continued business growth." To make the B2 100, companies had to meet rigorous financial requirements. The list of 100 was narrowed down from an original group of 2,000 publicly traded tech companies. Criteria for making the final list included at least three years of trading on a major U.S. stock exchange, at least $50 million in annual revenue and positive cash flow over the most recently reported 12 months. Business 2.0 editors then ranked the companies with the help of Zacks Investment Research of Chicago, using a combination of four financial criteria: growth in revenue, profit and operating cash flow during the past three years, and the 12-month stock return. Cash flow growth counted for 40 percent of a company's ranking; each of the other criteria counted for 20 percent. "Over the past year, we've started to see an economic recovery. But no matter the rebound, it still requires innovative ideas, strong management skill and tight execution - not to mention luck - to grow rapidly in today's technology sector. With an eye towards helping our readers achieve the same, we offer this year's collection of B2 100 companies as a primer on shifting trends and inventive strategies," said Josh Quittner, editor of Business 2.0. The B2 100 is featured in the June 2004 issue of the magazine, on newsstands now.