The 2010 Global Innovation 1000 (http://www.booz.com/global/home/what_we_think/featured_content/innovation_1000_2010), the sixth annual study of corporate innovation spending, released today by global management consulting firm Booz & Company, names Apple as the most innovative company.

Apple leads the list, capturing 79% of the vote. It’s followed by Google with 49% and 3m with 20%. The three companies “can innovate successfully without breaking the bank,” says Booz & Company.

“Apple is an exceptional example of our observation that success in innovation is determined not by how much money you spend, but rather by how you spend it,” the report says. “The company has a long history of bringing innovative and stylish products to market, from the first Apple computer in 1976 to the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad today. Yet it invests just 3.1% of its revenues in R&D, less than half the average percentage of the computing and electronics industry. Apple’s financial performance has been stellar: a five-year total shareholder return (TSR) of 63%.”