Apple has once again clinched the top spot as the world’s most admired company, continuing its impressive streak of nearly two decades at the pinnacle. For the 17th consecutive year, the iPhone maker has been lauded for boasting the finest corporate reputation, as per a survey of around 3,700 executives, directors, and analysts.
For the fifth consecutive year, Amazon and Microsoft maintained their positions in the top three. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, secured the 7th place, a two-step climb from its spot in last year’s list. On the other hand, Nvidia, renowned for powering the world’s ventures into generative AI with its GPU chips, achieved its highest-ever ranking at No. 10.
In this year’s list, there’s more to glean. Disney slipped to No. 12 from its previous No. 6 position and relinquished its title as the most admired entertainment company, passing the torch to Netflix.
If you’re curious, here’s a quick rundown of the top 10 in Fortune’s list:
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Amazon
- Berkshire Hathaway
- JPMorgan Chase
- Costco Wholesale
- Alphabet
- American Express
- Walmart
- Nvidia
For 26 years, Fortune, in partnership with consulting firm Korn Ferry, has been curating this list of corporate reputations. The process involves collecting votes from company executives, directors, and securities analysts. This year, the selection process kicked off with a pool of 1,500 companies.
This included the top 1,000 largest US companies ranked by revenue, as well as non-US companies listed in Fortune’s 500 database with revenues exceeding $10 billion. From the initial pool of 1,500 companies, the selection process narrowed it down to 660 by prioritizing the highest-revenue companies in each industry.
Securing the top spot in Fortune’s list isn’t the only feather in Apple’s cap these days. The company also clinched the title of leading smartphone manufacturer in 2023 for the first time ever. It’s quite surprising to think that Apple had never held this position before, but the company finally surpassed Samsung, putting an end to the Korean manufacturer’s long-standing dominance in the market.
