Forbes Names CoStar One of "America's 200 Best Small Companies"

CoStar Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSGP) has been named one of "America's 200 Best Small Companies" by Forbes magazine. The annual ranking appears in the issue dated November 2, 2009 and on Forbes' website at www.forbes.com/200best.

In an accompanying article entitled "Small-Cap Gems," CoStar was highlighted along with several other companies from the William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund as examples of companies with strong balance sheets and market positions. Forbes noted, "These are not the best of times economically, but some small firms are thriving nevertheless."

The article can be viewed by clicking here.

Forbes said its ranking of the 200 best small companies was based on earnings growth, sales growth and return on equity in the past 12 months and over a five-year period. As listed by Forbes, CoStar Group's sales grew 18 percent, earnings per share rose 110 percent and return on equity increased 7 percent, on average during the past five years. Shares of last year's list members outpaced the Russell 2000 Index by 10 percentage points, according to Forbes.

To qualify, companies must have annual revenue between $5 million and $750 million, be publicly traded for at least a year, and have a stock price no lower
than $5. Forbes said it also compared the company's stock performance with that of its industry peers.