Apple returns as No. 1 on the 27th version of the annual Top 50 All-Stars’ List
For the 18th year running, Apple leads the list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. The list, in its 27th year, is created in partnership between Fortune and Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY).
The World’s Most Admired Companies list highlights organizations most respected by their peers, with executives emphasizing financial stability, innovation, respected leadership, and expansion of global businesses. This year’s top five, following Apple, include Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, and Berkshire Hathaway. Several of these companies have been on the Most Admired list for years, a remarkable testament to their achievements during volatile times both politically and culturally.
Representing over 50 industries spanning the world, the list includes 229 U.S.-based companies, 59 in Europe, and 26 in the Asia/Pacific region.
Here are the 2025 Korn Ferry and Fortune Top 10 WMAC All-Stars:
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Amazon
- Nvidia
- Berkshire Hathaway
- Costco Wholesale
- JPMorgan Chase
- Walmart
- Alphabet
- American Express
The All-Stars are the Top 50 most admired companies across all industries. Top-scoring attributes among the All-Stars remain financial stability, strong management, and global reach. Click here for the complete list.
The 2025 top 50 saw four new entrants: Caterpillar (#40), ServiceNow (#42), Taiwan Semiconductor (#45), and Novo Nordisk (#46). These new companies were propelled onto the list by broad confidence in their operations and success at innovation in new fields, such as healthcare and science for weight loss products. The companies on the list rank in the top half of their industries for overall reputation.
Notable industry leaders include:
- Walmart (All-Star rank: #8) in General Merchandise
- Coca-Cola (#12) in Beverages
- Netflix (#15) in Entertainment
- Eli Lilly (#21) in Pharmaceuticals
- Singapore Airlines (#28) in Airlines
- Accenture (#30) in Information Technology Services
- Morgan Stanley (#33) in Megabanks
Four industries – computer software, general merchandisers, megabanks, and pharmaceuticals – tied for top overall representation with four companies each.
“The staying power of companies at the top of the WMAC list is notable. This recognition reflects their agility in not only adapting to market changes, but also leading these changes in turbulent times,” said Mark Royal, a Korn Ferry senior client partner and employee engagement specialist. “In this environment – amid regulatory and geopolitical risks, rapid technological advancements and heightened competitive pressures – these companies are change-ready and learning-agile.”
“The world’s most admired companies don’t earn their ranking through financial results alone. They also get there through the reputation of their leadership, their ability to attract and retain top talent, and a strong culture,” said Laura Manson-Smith, Korn Ferry’s global leader of organization strategy consulting. “The best strategy on paper is worth nothing without an engaged and skilled workforce to make it happen.”
“Fortune is proud to recognize all the companies on this year’s World’s Most Admired Companies list, especially the top 50 All-Stars, who represent the pinnacle of excellence across industries,” said Alyson Shontell, Fortune Editor in Chief. “Their ability to consistently earn this recognition is truly impressive and a testament to their high standards, resilience, and vision in a challenging global business environment.”
Korn Ferry and Fortune analyzed 650 companies and surveyed more than 3,300 executives to measure reputation based on nine different attributes, including each firm’s effectiveness in conducting business globally, its ability to attract, develop, and keep talent, its value as a long-term investment, its innovativeness, its wise use of corporate assets, and its responsibility to the community and environment. The full methodology can be found here.
Additional data that explores the talent strategies and growth levers implemented by the World’s Most Admired Companies is forthcoming in the next month.
Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies ranking is sponsored by JobsOhio.
