Apple is Fortune’s ‘most admired’ – for the third year in a row

Steve Jobs’ company wins the annual industry poll by the highest margin ever



It’s Apple by a landslide.

For the third time running, Apple Inc. has been named the most admired company in the world in Fortune’s annual ranking.

Moreover, in a poll of 4,200 executives, directors and industry analysts it was voted No. 1 by the highest margin ever.

“What makes Apple so admired?” asks Christopher Tkaczyk in Apple’s write-up.  “Product, product, product. This is the company that changed the way we do everything from buy music to design products to engage with the world around us. Its track record for innovation and fierce consumer loyalty translates into tremendous respect across business’ highest ranks.”

To put the list in some perspective, Toyota was No. 7 — although voting was concluded before the company issued those massive recalls.

The top 10 companies on the list:

  1. Apple (AAPL)
  2. Google (GOOG)
  3. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A)
  4. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
  5. Amazon.com (AMZN)
  6. Procter & Gamble (PG)
  7. Toyota Motor (TM)
  8. Goldman Sachs Group (GS)
  9. Wal-Mart Stores (WMT)
  10. Coca-Cola (KO)

The full list with rankings is available here. For an explanation of how it was compiled and why Apple came up No. 1, watch Leigh Gallagher’s video here.

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[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]

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