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Will ServiceMaster win over Wall Street?
After a steady record of doubling in size every three and a half years since the early 1970's, ServiceMaster has long tried to live out the double entendre of its name, providing masterful service to customers, even as it strives to serve God. This conglomerate of lawncare, housekeeping, and insect extermination's stock has taken a pounding this year—dropping from a high of $16.25 to Wednesday's $9.06 a share. C. William Pollard, ServiceMaster's chairman and a former Wheaton college professor told The Chicago Tribune there is no incongruity in striving for success while imbuing his company with Christian values. In his book, The Soul of the Firm, Pollard writes: "God and business do mix, and profit is a standard for determining the effectiveness of our combined efforts." Over the longer term some analysts expect the trend of two-paycheck families will increase demand for ServiceMaster's care of time-consuming household tasks. "For longer-term investors, we think ServiceMaster is extremely attractively valued. But we think it will take two or three quarters," said Adam Waldo, an analyst at Credit Suisse.

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October (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44