The CNBC RQ 50 is a new ranking of the most innovative companies in the market. From old-guard sectors, including industrials, oil and gas and defense to toy makers and some of Silicon Valley's elite, the R&D cultures within the RQ 50 companies prove that innovation isn't just about spending big, it's about a relentless long-term focus on R&D that optimizes return on innovation to shareholders. Read more about the RQ 50 methodology, created by Anne Marie Knott, professor of strategy at Washington University in St. Louis.
| Rank | Name | 2013 R&D<br> Expense ($M) | % of Rev.<br> spent on R&D | Projected Rev.<br> Increase ($M)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKesson | 456.0 | 0.33% | 3,801.4 |
| 2 | Medicines | 146.9 | 21.36% | 18.2 |
| 3 | USEC | 186.1 | 14.23% | 33.6 |
| 4 | Amazon.com | 6,565.0 | 8.82% | 1,718.0 |
| 5 | Silicon Laboratories | 157.8 | 27.20% | 11.7 |
| 6 | Salix Pharmaceuticals | 150.0 | 16.06% | 18.7 |
| 7 | Advanced Micro Devices | 1,201.0 | 22.66% | 104.9 |
| 8 | SanDisk | 742.3 | 12.03% | 121.1 |
| 9 | Informatica | 165.9 | 17.49% | 17.6 |
| 10 | Arris Group | 425.8 | 11.72% | 66.8 |
| 11 | PMC-Sierra | 211.0 | 41.54% | 9.2 |
| 12 | Cubist Pharmaceuticals | 513.0 | 48.66% | 19.2 |
| 13 | Synaptics | 144.7 | 21.81% | 12.0 |
| 14 | NewMarket | 136.6 | 5.99% | 40.1 |
| 15 | Merck & Co | 7,503.0 | 17.04% | 762.1 |
| 16 | Lam Research | 683.7 | 19.00% | 59.4 |
| 17 | Activision Blizzard | 584.0 | 12.74% | 75.3 |
| 18 | First Solar | 134.3 | 4.06% | 54.3 |
| 19 | Rovi | 112.8 | 20.96% | 8.7 |
| 20 | TiVo | 106.9 | 26.32% | 6.4 |
| 21 | Harmonic | 99.9 | 21.63% | 7.3 |
| 22 | OshKosh | 112.9 | 1.47% | 119.6 |
| 23 | Xerox | 479.0 | 2.23% | 329.8 |
| 24 | Northrop Grumman | 507.0 | 2.06% | 378.7 |
| 25 | Riverbed Technology | 189.7 | 18.22% | 15.8 |
| 26 | Aruba Networks | 139.7 | 23.29% | 8.9 |
| 27 | Intuitive Surgical | 167.7 | 7.40% | 33.7 |
| 28 | F5 Networks | 209.6 | 14.15% | 22 |
| 29 | Dolby Laboratories | 168.7 | 18.55% | 13.5 |
| 30 | Hasbro | 207.6 | 5.09% | 58.4 |
| 31 | Spansion | 126.8 | 13.05% | 13.8 |
| 32 | ConocoPhillips | 258.0 | 0.47% | 771.6 |
| 33 | Forest Laboratories** | 788.3 | 21.61% | 51.7 |
| 34 | Ciena | 383.4 | 18.41% | 29.1 |
| 35 | Xilinx | 492.4 | 20.67% | 33.2 |
| 36 | Exxon Mobil | 1,044.0 | 0.27% | 5,395.8 |
| 37 | Hewlett-Packard | 3,135.0 | 2.79% | 1,542.9 |
| 38 | B/E Aerospace | 220.9 | 6.34% | 47.4 |
| 39 | VeriFone Systems | 173.3 | 10.15% | 23.2 |
| 40 | ResMed | 120.1 | 7.93% | 20.5 |
| 41 | 7,952.0 | 13.29% | 800.3 | |
| 42 | Salesforce.com | 623.8 | 15.32% | 54.2 |
| 43 | Exelixis | 178.8 | 570.44% | 0.4 |
| 44 | Altera | 385.2 | 22.23% | 22.7 |
| 45 | Netflix | 378.8 | 8.66% | 57.1 |
| 46 | Microsemi | 170.6 | 17.48% | 12.7 |
| 47 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | 3,731.0 | 22.77% | 212.6 |
| 48 | QLogic | 147.0 | 31.90% | 6.0 |
| 49 | Dow Chemical | 1,747.0 | 3.06% | 740.1 |
| 50 | Polaris Industries | 139.2 | 3.69% | 48.7 |
* from a 10% Increase in R&D Spending
**Forest Labs acquired by Actavis July 1, 2014
1. McKesson
2. Medicines
3. USEC
4. Amazon.com
5. Silicon Laboratories
6. Salix Pharmaceuticals
7. Advanced Micro Devices
8. SanDisk
9. Informatica
10. Arris Group
11. PMC-Sierra
12. Cubist Pharmaceuticals
13. Synaptics
14. NewMarket
15. Merck
16. Lam Research
17. Activision Blizzard
18. First Solar
19. Rovi
20. TiVo
21. Harmonic
22. Oshkosh
23. Xerox
24. Northrop Grumman
25. Riverbed Technology
26. Aruba Networks
27. Intuitive Surgical
28. F5 Networks
29. Dolby Laboratories
30. Hasbro
31. Spansion
32. ConocoPhillips
33. Forest Laboratories**
34. Ciena
35. Xilinx
36. Exxon Mobil
37. Hewlett-Packard
38. B/E Aerospace
39. VeriFone Systems
40. ResMed
41. Google
42. Salesforce.com
43. Exelixis
44. Altera
45. Netflix
46. Microsemi
47. Bristol-Myers Squibb
48. QLogic
49. Dow Chemical
50. Polaris Industries
