It's that time of the year once again.
FORTUNE Magazine has released its 2014 list of Most Admired Companies.
For the 7th year in a row, Apple ranks as #1. Not surprising, considering how many iPhones, iPads, iPods, iShuffles, iBalls, etc. are floating around out in society.
#2 is Amazon.com and #3 is Google. What will it take for 1 of them to dethrone Apple? Hmmmmm.... likely quite a bit. Although I'm sure IBM was once at the top of the list at some point in the past, and they are #16 now.
Rounding out the top 10:
#4 Berkshire Hathaway (AKA Buffetbusiness)
#5 Starbucks
#6 Coca-Cola
#7 Walt Disney
#8 FedEx
#9 Southwest Airlines (LUV! LUV! LUV!)
#10 General Electric
Surprisingly, the first automobile company doesn't hit the list until #14: BMW.
The only one from last year's top-ten that fell from this year's top-ten was IBM.
How about Illinois companies?
There are just 4 in the top 50:
McDonalds #22
Boeing #26
Caterpillar #33
Deere #46
And what about the #1 ranked companies in specific other categories:
Quality of Management: Exxon Mobil
Innovation: Apple (duh!!!)
Long-term Investment: Nestle (Caterpillar was #5)
Financial Soundness: Google (interesting that Buffettbusiness was way down at #9)
Social Responsibility: Walt Disney - HUH? (Deere was a very close 2nd)
Use of Corporate Assets: Walt Disney (Deere was #9)
Quality of Products/Services: Apple, JUST BARELY (Nordstrom was a very close 2nd)
People Management: Apple
Global Competitiveness: Walt Disney, with Coca-Cola and Caterpillar a VERY close 2nd and 3rd
Interesting stuff!
Read more info here: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/most-admired/
Out for now.....
Matt