Questar Corp., parent company of Mountain Fuel Supply Co., has made the "Covenant 200" list of U.S. companies that maintain a high standard of corporate responsibility toward their shareholders.
Other companies on the list, compiled by Covenant Investment Management, an investment management firm based in Chicago, include such Fortune 500 perennials as AT&T, Kellogg Co., Merck & Co. Inc., Pepsico Inc. and other corporations with an average market value of $4.5 billion.The Covenant 200 list was compiled from a survey of the nation's 1,000 largest corporations in which the firm's researchers studied the nominees' financial statements as well as their responses to questionnaires that were returned by 300 of those surveyed.
The study found Questar among the top 200 firms in eight areas that compete for corporate resources: the community, competitors, customers, employees, environment, shareholders, social issues and suppliers.
Covenant said those that made the list consistenly outperformed others in their total return to shareholders.
"There is a direct linkage between corporate responsibility and financial performance," the study noted. "Corporate responsibility can be shown to enhance shareholder value."
Covenant said it would encourage its mutual fund investors and prospective institutional clients to invest in Questar and the other 199 firms on the list.