The report again scored "a perfect 135 points" against the copyrighted criteria promulgated in 1983 by annual report guru Sid Cato, based here. It also had a 100% "Cato Positive Index," based on 36 indicators of a report's positive or negative nature.

Cato's 15 copyrighted criteria range from honesty in the key corporate communiqué to "financial disclosure that's more than what's customary or required by the Securities and Exchange Commission." Cato announced Ford's second consecutive high honor in the November issue of his monthly Newsletter on Annual Reports, along with names of others to achieve status among the world's 10 best:

Second place: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. and RLI Corp., both Illinois-based.

Fourth: Tellabs, another Illinois company; No. 5, DTE Energy; No. 6, AFLAC; seventh, Unisys; eighth, American Water Works; ninth, Colgate-Palmolive. St. Paul Cos.' 2000 report finished 10th best.

Cato said no non-U.S. annuals made the year's list of 10 best annuals.