• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Fortune 500

Tweeting the Fortune 500

By
Stanley Bing
Stanley Bing
and
Tom Ziegler
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 2, 2014, 8:50 AM ET
Jason Schneider for Fortune

Today we honor the top 500 companies in the world by revenue, and compare them with how they ranked last year. #bigscarybehemoths!

As a group, their positions are rather stable, though there is some shifting from there to here. #Costcoisup #Cokesalittledown

Revenue is produced by a variety of products, from investment vehicles to tractors. #BerkshireHathaway4 #JohnDeere80

We’re going to comment while keeping our remarks to 140 characters. #notgonnabeeasy

+

At the top once again, retaining its position, is @WalMart, which took in nearly half a trillion. #whichisessentiallyflat

It was a somewhat challenging year, but its executives are still dancing at the compensation cotillion. #specialitemsexcludedout

Next, same as our prior parade of all-stars, are @exxonmobil and @chevron, the latter half the size of the former. #consolidationenvy?

That’s performance their shareholders may find very cool … as we all get a lot warmer. #carbonbigfoots

+

We already mentioned @warrenbuffett. He’s an Oracle! And his 817K followers will never die of boredom. #asatweeterhesnoalecbaldwin

Those A shares look tasty … but at nearly $200K each who can afford ’em? #Bigpricetagforatriptobeautifuldown-townOmahafortheannualmeeting

Next — up one notch from last year — is Apple, long may it thrive! #welcometosplitsville

At this writing, I’ve got a big-ass tower, four laptops, three iPads, six iPods, and an iPhone 5. #Iamnotanandroid

+

Those are the biggest of the big, the toppermost of the poppermost. #arcaneBeatlesreference

But there are 495 more, of varying interest and notoriety, that have ample reason to boast. #notchoppedliverbyanymeans

We find @GM holding nicely at No. 7, for instance. Really not bad at all! #hmmmm…

… considering their, you know, issues. What they are, I can’t … er … recall. #getit?

What’s interesting is that the entire top 25 are traditional brands with actual revenue that’s not midgetal. #@Ford@GE@BOA

Nary an app among them. Except for Apple, nothing digital. #justimagineifthelistwasbasedonprofits!

+

Then we welcome @Amazon at No. 35 down the chimney like Santa with a bag full of Kindles. #nowunderpricingallcompetitors

And soon? Your very own personal drone conveniently hovering outside your windows. #itscometoourattentionyoureoutofrazorblades

At 46, we pause before the Temple of @Google to tarry. #theeggplantthatateSanFran

And say a slightly creepy prayer to what is on the collective mind of Sergey and Larry. #bargesandglassesandrobotsohmy

+

Lots of insurance and banking in the middle sections. #@GoldmanSachsdownabitbutIwouldntworryaboutthem

Along with a few to help with general erections. #bigpharma

Then way down at 341, heaven save us … #about8billioninrevenue

Is Facebook. Right after Avis. #keepingperspectiveiswhatthelistisallabout

+

And so, once again, as the sun sets slowly in the west. #duringafterhourstrading

We say goodbye to the ones who do it best. #longmaytheywave

May your joy and perceived value growth be never-ending! #heywaitaminuteshouldwestoptoconsider

May your profits be GAAP! May you always be trending! #wheretheheckisTwitter?

Follow Stanley Bing at stanleybing.com and on Twitter at @thebingblog.

This story is from the June 16, 2014 issue of Fortune.

About the Authors
By Stanley Bing
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Tom Ziegler
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Management

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

0

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Trump turns government into giant debt collector with threat to garnish wages on millions of Americans in default on student loans
By Annie Ma and The Associated PressDecember 24, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Retail
Trump just declared Christmas Eve a national holiday. Here’s what’s open and closed
By Dave SmithDecember 24, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Chinese billionaire who has fathered more than 100 children hopes to have dozens of U.S.-born boys to one day take over his business
By Emma BurleighDecember 25, 2025
3 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Obama's former top economic advisor says he feels 'a tiny bit bad' for Trump because gas prices are low, but consumer confidence is still plummeting 
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 24, 2025
21 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Billionaire philanthropy's growing divide: Mark Zuckerberg stops funding immigration reform as MacKenzie Scott doubles down on DEI
By Ashley LutzDecember 22, 2025
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Financial experts warn future winner of the $1.7 billion Powerball: Don't make these common money mistakes
By Ashley LutzDecember 23, 2025
2 days ago