Guide Note:

January 5, 2007: Reuters has reported that investment bank, Goldman Sachs may layoff up to 5% of its workforce. According to a company spokesman, Goldman Sachs conducts annual reviews of the bottom 5% of it's workforce, and as a result, many of them are asked to leave the firm. The Goldman Sachs workforce grew by 15% in 2007, and CFO David Viniar expects less growth for 2008.

Fast Facts

1. Stock symbol: GS
2. Annual revenue (2007): $87.9 Billion
3. Founder(s): Marcus Goldman
4. Year Established: 1869
5. Industry: Investment Banking
6. Phone: (212) 902-1000
7. Fax: (212) 902-3000
8. HQ: New York, New York
9. CEO: Lloyd C, Blankfein
10. CFO: Gary D. Cohn
11. Staff: 30,522
12. Other key people: Jon Winkelried
13. Name changed early in history to include Goldman's son-in-law, Samuel Sachs
14. Average salary per employee: $600,000
15. Integral to the launch of many IPO's
16. Hermetic firm culture earned the nickname, "Wall Street's Secret Society"
17. Employee yearly bonuses can be as much as $100 million
18. Alumni include NJ governor Jon Corzine, White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, and actor Sacha Baron Cohen

1. 1869: Goldman Sachs was founded
2. 1999: Goldman Sachs went public