A show of admiration

Area Development Site and Facility Planning, Mar 2003

GENERAL ELECTRIC'S four-year reign as America's most-admired company has come to an end courtesy of Wal-Mart, which tops Fortune magazine's annual most-admired rankings for 2003.

The 2003 version is a collaborative effort of Fortune and the Hay Group, a global human resources consultancy. The survey includes the overall list of companies - which Wal-Mart topped - as well as individual lists that rate firms against others in their respective industries. The Hay Group interviewed 10,000 executives, directors, and securities analysts to produce the results.

On the list of the country's most-admired companies, Wal-Mart is followed by Southwest Airlines, Berkshire Hathaway, and Dell Computer, with GE rounding out the top five. At number six is Johnson & Johnson, with Microsoft, FedEx, Starbucks, and Procter & Gamble ranked numbers seven through ten.

In the industry categories, United Technologies took first place in aerospace/defense, edging out second-place Lockheed Martin. Computer companies were led by IBM, Gateway, and Dell, while the title of most-admired telecommunications firm went to SBC Communications, which also landed the distinction of world's-most-admired - for the sixth consecutive year. In the motor-vehicle segment, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. managed first place, with Harley-Davidson and American Honda Motor rounding out the top three.