The most successful businesses in the U.S. appear on the Fortune 500 list.
The Fortune 500 list is compiled annually by the writers and editors of Fortune magazine. Since its inception in 1955, the list has become one of the magazine's most recognizable trademarks and a barometer of American business. The companies included in the Fortune 500 list are considered the year's most successful companies.
Qualifications
Only companies that operated and incorporated in the U.S. are considered for the Fortune 500 list. Publicly traded and private companies that file financial information with government regulatory agencies are eligible for consideration.
Disqualifications
Companies that do not have financial reports for a quarter of the year or more are ineligible for consideration. Privately held businesses that do not submit financial statements to the U.S. government are disqualified. Foreign corporations and businesses owned by other companies are also not included.
Considerations
Fortune magazine takes into account the businesses' growth, as measured by stock earnings and investment returns, assets, revenue and profit when compiling the list. Only the 500 most financially successful companies make the list annually.
Significance
Since 1955, the Fortune 500 list has helped people gauge changes in the economic climate. It provides a quick reference of sectors that are growing and the industries that are experiencing decline. The Fortune 500 has also inspired the creation of the Fortune 100 and Fortune 1,000 lists.
Fortune 500 Index
The 500 list also led to the inception of the Fortune 500 Index Tracking Stock in 2000. This index tracks the market's biggest trading businesses by assets, stock price and performance.
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