Apple is world’s most admired company for 19th year in a row

Apple has continued its winning streak on Fortune’s annual World’s Most Admired Companies list for a 19th year, beating all others to the top spot yet again.

The annual ranking of companies by Fortune and partner Korn Ferry frequently sees companies rise and fall in the estimation of other executives. For Apple, it’s continued to stay at the top spot for a stunning 19th year straight.

Just like last year, Apple managed to keep the top spot while facing stiff competition from other tech giants on the list. This includes second-place Microsoft, Amazon in third, list newcomer Nvidia in fourth, and Alphabet in eighth.

According to Fortune, while there is concern from observers over AI, respondents still gave it top marks for “smart management of talent, capital, and supply chains” to the same level as its handling of innovation.

Apple didn’t just top the overall list. It was also in the number one spot for the Computer industry category it is classed under, which it has held for 16 out of the last 17 years.

The top ten list in full:

1. Apple
2. Microsoft
3. Amazon
4. NVIDIA
5. JPMorgan Chase
6. Berkshire Hathaway
7. Costco Wholesale
8. Alphabet
9. Walmart
10. American Express

Companies that left the Top 50 list include Target, PepsiCo, Novo Nordisk, and Adobe.

The list is based on a poll asking “some 3,000 executives, directors, and analysts” for their opinions on which companies they admire the most. The survey started with a candidate list of about 1,500 companies, before whittling it down to a pool of 685, and dividing the group up by industry.

Executives from those 685 firms were asked for their opinions for the poll, rating others within their own industry over nine criteria. For the main All-Star list, all executives were asked to select the ten companies they admired the most, and could vote for any company in any industry.