Business Today has a cover story profiling publicly-listed companies that are doing fine despite the economic recession. The listing includes some large cap companies like Bharti Airtel, Hero Honda and L&T as well as smaller companies like Everest Kanto Cylinders Opto Circuits and AIA Engineering. Other companies in the list include Sun Pharma, Allcargo Logistcis, Simplex Infrastructure and Mundra Port. So, what sets these winners apart from the rest of the pack? Plenty, actually. Let’s begin with the sheer benefits of size and pedigree. Corporations like Bharti Airtel, Larsen & Toubro and Hero Honda are all leaders in their sectors. They’re also the only companies in their sectors that have been notching smart growth even as their rivals flounder. They also prove that being an early bird helps in getting the worm—even during a downturn. Then, there’s a company like Sun Pharma that has countered the downtrend in the pharma sector by perfecting, over the years, a four-pronged ...