Women CEOs Leading Their Companies to New Heights

This year has been a big year for the stock market, with many notable indexes soaring to new highs. But 2017 was important for more than just share price performance—it also marked another year where the number of women leading Fortune 500 companies jumped as well.

The percentage of women heading Fortune 500 companies hit an all-time high in 2017. As of this summer, when Fortune released its 2017 Fortune 500 list, 32 of the CEOs were women, up from just 21 last year.

That number still only accounts for 6.4% of the total, but it proved to be the highest in the history of the list. The number of female-led companies on the Standard & Poor's 500 index is smaller by comparison, with only 26 women—or 5.2%—holding their company’s top position. This figure is based on a list compiled by the nonprofit group Catalyst. The firm also noted that women hold 21% of S&P 500 board seats.

Those numbers indicate that there is still plenty of progress to be made, but female CEOs did lead some of the biggest and most well-known companies, in a range of industries, in 2017.

This list includes the likes of aerospace and defense power General Dynamics’ GD Phebe Novakovic, as well as industry competitor Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT.

In the retail sector, Barbara Rentler has helped the discount department store firm Ross Stores ROST stock hit a new all-time high this year, making her one of several women leading their companies to new heights.

Let’s take a closer look at more of those leaders:

Mary Barra,General Motors GM

General Motors’ Chairman and CEO Mary Barra has served as the auto giant’s chief executive since January 2014. Since taking over the role as CEO, Barra has helped push GM towards the future with a focus on connected vehicles and electric car technology. On top of that, Barra began to focus some of GM’s energy on autonomous vehicle technology.

Shares of GM are up 21.96% in 2017, and the company rests close to its five-year high, which it reached earlier this year. GM has beat or matched earnings expectations in the trailing 10 quarters and nearly every quarter since Barra became CEO.

Tricia Griffith, The Progressive Corporation PGR

Tricia Griffith took over as president and chief executive officer of the insurance giant in July 2016. Since taking on the leading role at Progressive, Griffith began to bolster the company’s offerings. Previously, the company only really offered automotive coverage, but now Progressive has entered the $300 billion home insurance market—where they offer customers the chance to bundle home and auto.

Griffith helped roll out the company’s HomeQuote Explorer tool. “Normally, homeowner quotes are a nightmare,” Griffith told Fortune. “They take a long time. This is something that we will buy, any publicly available data. You fill in a couple of fields and you get a home quote from four companies. Really easy.”

Shares of Progressive are up over 57% on the year, and just hit a new 52-week and all-time high of $56.28 per share on Wednesday.

Indra Nooyi,Pepsico, Inc. PEP

Indra Nooyi became Pepsico’s President and CEO in October 2006. She was then appointed chairman in May 2007. Nooyi facilitated Pepsico’s merger with Quaker Oats, which brought the beverage giant not only Quaker, but sports drink power Gatorade as well. She also helped lead the acquisitions of Tropicana and Wimm-Bill-Dann—which is the largest international acquisition in company’s history.

Pepsico stock is up 13.36% this year, and it just recently hit a new all-time high of $119.74 per share, thanks in large part to Nooyi’s improvements to the company’s business.

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General Dynamics Corporation (GD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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