Founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, The Motley Fool helps millions of people attain financial freedom through our website, podcasts, books, newspaper column, radio show, and premium investing services. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. The investment information provided in this table is for informational and general educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment or financial advice. Bankrate does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it provide individualized recommendations or personalized investment advice. Investment decisions should be based on an evaluation of your own personal financial situation, needs, risk tolerance and investment objectives. A Fortune 500 company simply means that the company is included in a prestigious list of well-performing companies in the United States. The Fortune 500 comprise a significant percentage of the U.S. economy.

#7 UnitedHealth Growth

The new list continued to include companies from the original manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors, but it also included service companies for the first time. Only companies with revenues from manufacturing, mining, or oil exploration were included in the first Fortune 500. Simultaneously, Fortune published Fortune 50 lists of the 50 largest commercial banks, utilities, life insurance, retailers, and transportation what is fortune 500 company means companies which are all ranked by assets, gross revenues, and revenues. The publication excludes private companies not filing with a government agency, companies incorporated outside the U.S., and U.S. companies consolidated by other companies (domestic or foreign). Also, companies that failed to report full financial statements for at least three-quarters of the current fiscal year are excluded.

• While the magazine was founded in 1929 with the start of the Great Depression, the first Fortune 500 list wasn’t published until 1955.
• Mercedes Barba is a seasoned editorial leader and video producer, with an Emmy nomination to her credit.
• Things like fairness and trust to company size and demographics are also assessed.

Since 1955, Fortune magazine has published the annual list, and it is considered one of the most well-known corporate rankings. The Fortune 500 list can be found online and in the print edition of the magazine. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.

More Fortune 500 coverage

It goes without saying, but that’s a lot of money and notably a record for the Fortune 500. An editor supervises the preparation of the list and an accounting specialist typically reviews and verifies company income statements and balance sheets. You can find the names and details of who was involved in creating the list under the “credits” section on the methodology page on Fortune. The first issue was published the following year and has since become one of the world's leading business publications. Originally printed monthly, the magazine put out 16 issues every year and also has a major presence online. Reward cards, smart cards, payroll cards and even embedded credit chips are just a few of the ways corporations are attempting to entice Americans to spend money in the future.

To be a Fortune 500 company is widely considered to be a mark of prestige. The other half of the equation is the revenue reported by the companies under consideration, and there are ground rules in place there as well. First, companies are ranked according to the revenues they've reported to their respective government agencies for their most recent fiscal year. Not all companies use the same fiscal year, so the comparison isn't quite apples to apples, but it's pretty close. When companies on the list have subsidiaries whose revenues are consolidated into those of the parent company, those revenues are included. The list also shows after-tax profits for each company, but those don't play a role in the rankings.

What Are Fortune 500 Companies?

Google has been around for over 20 years and Apple for 40, and the company now called IBM dates back to the 19th century. Fortune itself creates a global version of its list, putting U.S. companies into context against their counterparts from around the world. Investors can glean some important insights by watching how the list changes over the years. Focusing on companies rising up the list (and avoiding declining ones) could help boost returns since it suggests risers are increasing revenues at an above-average pace. Looking for inspiration on how to create effective marketing strategies that put the customer first? Berkshire Hathaway, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is an American multinational conglomerate holding firm.

To be eligible for the Fortune 500 list, a company must be for-profit, publicly traded or privately held, and be a U.S.-based entity with financial statements filed with a U.S. government agency. The company must have revenue that placed it in the top 500 U.S. companies. Fortune magazine intended its list to be a ranking of American companies as opposed to companies doing business in America, and its formal criteria reflect that. To be an American company in the Fortune 500 definition means a few specific things. Incorporating in the U.S. and operating in the U.S. are a pretty obvious starting point. The companies can be public, private or even cooperatives – mutual insurance companies and credit unions would fit that description – but they must file financial statements with a government agency to qualify.

Initial Public Offering (IPO)

The list is compiled and published by Fortune Magazine, which is based in New York, USA. A company gets on the Fortune 500 list by ranking among the top 500 publicly traded companies in the United States by total revenue. The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the 500 largest companies in the United States based on gross sales for each fiscal year compiled by Fortune magazine.

In the original 1955 Fortune 500 list, General Motors (GM) was the top company with annual revenues of $9.8 billion. Fortune 500 companies must be American companies that file financial statements with a government agency. They are ranked according to the revenues they've reported to their respective government agencies for their most recent fiscal year. The top 100 companies in the Fortune 500 include publicly traded companies and privately held businesses. The list also features companies from almost all sectors of the economy.

The top three companies in 1955 were General Motors (with annual revenues of $9.8 billion), Exxon Mobil (with $5.6 billion), and U.S. As noted above, the idea for the list came from Edgar P. Smith, who was an assistant managing editor for Fortune. Smith's idea took off and provided the grounds for the popular annual list. The original Fortune 500 lists contained only companies that were in the manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors, limiting inclusion for many big-name companies. To secure a spot on the list, a company had to produce $49.7 million in annual revenue.

It is the world’s largest telecommunications corporation and the second largest provider of mobile telephone service. There are so many factors to consider when choosing a future employer. Yes, Fortune 500 companies represent that gold standard in business, but the reasons for their rankings vary. No matter what, your success and happiness shouldn’t be dependent on rankings but on passion and values. Compiled by both Fortune and partnering Great Place to Work, the 100 Best Companies to Work For list recently featured the best businesses that are stepping up to support their employees during such unprecedented times. Despite all those hurdles, the Fortune 500 companies of 2022 generated over $16.1 trillion in revenue and $1.8 trillion in profits.

Fortune 500 (Company) - Explained

The Fortune 100 is the top 100 corporations from the 500 list and the Fortune 1000 is the extended version. NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Fortune announced the 69th Fortune 500TM ranking, its annual list of the largest corporations in the United States, ranked by revenue for the 2022 fiscal year. The revenue threshold for making the Fortune 500 list was $7.2 billion this year, up 13% from a year ago. The complete dataset is available for purchase from Fortune Analytics.

Fortune 500 companies are ranked by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The Fortune 500 is an iconic annual list showcasing the United States' largest companies, based on their total revenue published by Fortune Magazine. As technology continues to shape the business landscape, these companies recognize the importance of establishing a strong online presence to connect with customers, investors, and stakeholders globally. The first-ever Fortune 500 list was published back in 1955, when the American economy was centered firmly around building things.

It's completely possible to rank among the very highest companies on the list for overall revenue and yet lose money for the year. If you're a Fortune 500 company, part of the package is having the financial resources to weather hard times. The Fortune 500 is an annual list of the top 500 United States companies by total revenues – public and private included.

Are we missing a good definition for Fortune 500? Don't keep it to yourself...

Here is the list of Fortune 500 companies and their websites for 2023. Additionally, some of the best companies to work for are also featured on the annual Fortune 500 list. We’ll explore how Fortune 500 companies are determined and what makes them so special, compared to other companies. Additionally, we’ll dive into whether or not you as a job seeker should aim to work for one.

• The healthcare company acquires three spots on this year’s Fortune 500 and got a $62 billion revenue boost because of its $69 billion acquisition of Aetna.
• The companies on this year's list are based in 224 different cities spread across 38 states.
• GDP with $18 trillion in revenues (up 13%), while profits, down 15%, fell for the second time in the past three years.
• The magazine compiled its first list of the most successful American companies—both public and private—in 1955.
• As of 2022, the top of the Fortune 500 list is currently held by Walmart.

They’re ranked by the total revenue generated for the respective fiscal years. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products.