Book excerpt: Amid a weak economy, slowing corporate profitability, a limping share market and growing investor caution, the 18th edition of Australia's most trusted and sought after share market reference, Top Stocks, returns. Despite the current financial climate, a surprisingly large number of Australian companies continue to race ahead with surging profits, Top Stocks 2012 guides investors with the lasted information on the companies that will help them build a successful portfolio. Respected financial journalist Martin Roth puts his rigorous, independent selection criteria to work on the top 500 Australian companies, once more delivering detailed and crucial analysis on Australia's best public companies. In Top Stocks 2012 you will discover which firms pose the lowest risk and the greatest long-term investment value. Inside, you'll find: Individual, unbiased analysis of the latest results from 102 top Australian companies Comparative sales and profits data, and in-depth ratio analysis Comprehensive research detailing each company's overall outlook 19 tables that rank all of the companies according to financial data Martin Roth is an internationally successful financial journalist. Based in Melbourne, he is one of Australia's leading authors of investment books.