Features ·World's Most Admired Companies

World’s Most Admired companies ranked by key attributes

BYFortune Editors
February 19, 2015, 1:00 PM UTC

The companies on the World’s Most Admired list are rated based on nine key attributes, including innovativeness, sound financials, value as a long-term investment, and more. See how the top 10 rank in each category below. Ties are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Management Quality

Company (Score)

1. Walt Disney (8.94)
2. U.S. Bancorp (8.57)
3. Wells Fargo (8.55)
4*. Goldman Sachs Group (8.46)
4*. Comcast (8.46)
6. Google (8.42)
7. Nike (8.40)
8. Nordstrom (8.37)
9. Starbucks (8.33)
10. Nestlé (8.30)

Quality of Products/Services Offered

Company (Score)

1. Nordstrom (9.13)
2. Walt Disney (9.08)
3. Amazon.com (8.76)
4. Apple (8.62)
5. Google (8.60)
6. Nestlé (8.43)
7. Whole Foods Market (8.23)
8. Wells Fargo (8.15)
9. Costco Wholesale (8.11)
10. Facebook (8.05)

Innovativeness

The Apple Watch.

Company (Score)

1. Apple (8.77)
2. Google (8.71)
3. Walt Disney (8.62)
4. Amazon.com (8.54)
5. Nike (8.44)
6. Netflix (8.41)
7. Nordstrom (7.90)
8. Starbucks (7.75)
9. Ingersoll-Rand (7.68)
10. NextEra Energy (7.66)

Value as a Long-term Investment

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - AUGUST 14: In this handout image provided by Disney, with the stern and determined look of a Jedi Knight, "Star Wars" creator and filmmaker George Lucas poses with a group of "Star Wars"-inspired Disney characters Aug. 14, 2010 at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Lucas is in central Florida for "Star Wars Celebration V," the official Lucasfilm fan event that is taking place this week at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. He visited Walt Disney World Resort tonight to attend Disney's "Last Tour to Endor" special event. (Photo by Todd Anderson/Disney via Getty Images)

Company (Score)

1. Walt Disney (9.05)
2. Nestlé (8.60)
3. Google (8.38)
4. Wells Fargo (8.33)
5. Nike (8.32)
6. U.S. Bancorp (8.10)
7. Apple (8.00)
8. Goldman Sachs Group (7.98)
9. Johnson & Johnson (7.91)
10.* Berkshire Hathaway (7.89)
10.* Comcast (7.89)

Soundness of Financial Position

Company (Score)

1. Google (9.39)
2. Comcast (8.89)
3. Apple (8.86)
4. Nestlé (8.81)
5. Walt Disney (8.72)
6. Wells Fargo (8.67)
7. U.S. Bancorp (8.60)
8. Nike (8.54)
9. Facebook (8.37)
10*. Cisco Systems (8.29)
10*. Costco Wholesale (8.29)

Ability to Attract, Develop, and Retain Talent

Company (Score)

1. Goldman Sachs Group (9.00)
2. Google (8.91)
3. Facebook (8.78)
4. Walt Disney (8.63)
5. Apple (8.60)
6. Nike (8.09)
7. Nestlé (8.03)
8. U.S. Bancorp (7.93)
9. Nordstrom (7.90)
10. Amazon.com (7.87)

Community Responsibility

Company (Score)

1. Walt Disney (8.33)
2. Whole Foods Market (7.97)
3. Nestlé (7.96)
4. Unilever (7.88)
5. Johnson & Johnson (7.77)
6. Toyota Motor (7.72)
7. Deere (7.71)
8. Wells Fargo (7.67)
9. U.S. Bancorp (7.53)
10*. NextEra Energy (7.47)
10*. Cisco Systems (7.47)

Wise Use of Corporate Assets

A Wells Fargo branch is seen in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, February 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS LOGO) - RTR4P2WV

Company (Score) 

1. Walt Disney (8.61)
2*. Wells Fargo (7.99)
2*. Costco Wholesale (7.99)
4. U.S. Bancorp (7.96)
5. Nestlé (7.84)
6. Nordstrom (7.81)
7. Comcast (7.75)
8. VF (7.74)
9. Apple (7.73)
10. Goldman Sachs Group (7.72)

Effectiveness in Conducting a Global Business

The Nestle SA logo is displayed on the wrapper of a Crunch chocolate bar at the company's production plant in Toluca, Mexico, on Wednesday, Oct., 9, 2013. Nestle SA, the worlds biggest food company, manufactures and markets a wide range of food products including milk, chocolate, confectionery, bottled water, coffee, creamer, food seasoning and pet foods. Photographer: Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Company (Score)

1. Walt Disney (9.20)
2. Nestlé (8.81)
3. Apple (8.72)
4. Caterpillar (8.50)
5. Google (8.47)
6. Nike (8.45)
7. IBM (8.39)
8. Toyota Motor (8.34)
9. McDonald’s (8.32)
10. Facebook (8.23)

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