UA

Under Armour, Inc.

A maker of athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories, best known for moisture-wicking performance gear like its HeatGear shirts worn by athletes and everyday gym-goers. It was founded in 1996 by University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, who started sewing shirts in his grandmother's Washington, D.C. basement. The name came from a happy accident: Plank wanted to call the company "Body Armor," but his brother misheard him as saying "Under Armour" — and the British spelling stuck.