International Business Machines--thatâ??s IBM to you and me--reached an impressive milestone this week: The company turned 100 years old. That longevity is impressive, but many American companies have become institutions. Ford Motors is almost 110 years old, US Steel is also at the 110 year mark, and Sears, Roebuck and Co. is 125 years old this year!

Companies such as Apple and Microsoft are barely middle aged by comparison, while Google and eBay are just children at this point. The question is whether any of these companies will reach the 100-year mark. Here is a look at five companies that could stand the test of time:


...






_ More...