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

Trendingnow

1

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

2

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

1

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

2

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
LeadershipCEO Daily

New Fortune 500, Trade War Pause, Facebook Breakup Call: CEO Daily for May 21, 2018

By
David Meyer
David Meyer
and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Meyer
David Meyer
and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 21, 2018, 6:44 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Good morning .

The 64th annual Fortune 500 list is out this morning, and you can find it here. With $12.8 trillion in revenue–2/3rds of U.S. GDP–and 28.2 million employees worldwide, these companies remain the most important engine of both the U.S. and the global economy.

Some takeaways, provided by Fortune 500 data guru Scott DeCarlo:

— Walmart topped the list, which ranks companies by revenue, for the sixth straight year in a row.

— Apple, the most valuable and profitable company on the list—$850 billion in market cap and $48 billion in profits—dropped one spot to No. 4 on the revenue ranking.

— Amazon, clearly the most feared competitor on the list, cracked the top 10 for the first time, landing at No. 8.

— With Denise Morrison stepping down from the top spot at Campbell’s, only 24 companies on the list are headed by women—whose ascent to the top spots of American business has clearly stalled.

— GE fell five spots to No. 18—its lowest ranking ever on the list.

— Tesla made the biggest leap on this year’s list, jumping 123 spots to No. 260.

— Xerox took the biggest plunge, dropping 129 spots to 291. (Read Shawn Tully’s take on Xerox’s battle with activist Carl Icahn here.)

— The four most valuable companies on the list are all technology firms—Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway was fifth; Facebook was sixth.

— Nvidia, which rocketed up 80 spots on this year’s list to No. 306, led the list in five-year returns to shareholders. Netflix (No. 261) led in ten-year shareholder returns.

— There are 17 newcomers to the list, including Coty, Ulta Beauty, Conduent and Fortive.

— There are 53 companies that have been on the list every year since it started in 1955, including GE, GM, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. The oldest company on the list was started in 1784 by Alexander Hamilton—Bank of New York Mellon. (See the ages of all 500 companies here.)

— New York bested California for having the most FORTUNE 500 headquarters. It was up 4 to 58, while California dropped 4 to 49. Texas is a close third, with 48.

— The threshold for making this year’s list was $5.4 billion in revenues…up 6% from last year.

The 500 issue of Fortune magazine is out later this week, and I recommend you grab a copy and keep it on your bookshelf—it’s a rich compendium of economic information. You can read editor Clifton Leaf’s introduction to the issue here, and Beth Kowitt’s fascinating story on Amazon’s struggle to enter the grocery business here.

Other news below.

Alan Murray
@alansmurray
alan.murray@fortune.com

Top News

Trade War Pause

The Sino-American trade war is "on hold"—Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's words there—after both the U.S. and China agreed to suspend their threats of massive tariffs on each other's exports, while they conclude a long-lasting trade agreement. According to Donald Trump's chief economic advisor, Larry Kudlow, the president is in a "very positive mood about this." So are the markets—stocks, oil and the dollar are all up. NBC

Facebook Breakup Call

Progressive and pro-consumer groups are calling on the Federal Trade Commission to force the separation of Instagram, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp from the Facebook mothership. Their coalition, Freedom From Facebook, alleges that the company has amassed too much power and needs to be broken up—and also that privacy protections be boosted and cross-network communication made possible. Fortune

Anti-Bullying Push

The British government is threatening social media companies with huge fines if they don't combat bullying and harassment on their platforms. Digital minister Matt Hancock has revealed plans for a statutory code of conduct on Facebook, Google, Twitter and others, to be introduced in the fall. Facebook would also get big fines if it allows children under the age of 13 to sign up—something that's actually already banned under the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Times of London

GE Merger

General Electric's transportation division, which makes train engines, may reportedly merge with Wabtec. That's according to Reuters, which says the combined business could be valued at $20 billion and the merger may be announced this week. However, sources told the news organization that it was still possible the deal could fall through. Reuters

Around the Water Cooler

Giuseppe Conte

Giuseppe Conte is a 54-year-old law professor with hardly any political experience. And? He's widely speculated to be the next Italian prime minister under a deal struck between the populist Five Star Movement and far-right League parties. Although Conte's nomination is still not yet official, League leader Matteo Salvini issued this threat to Italian president Sergio Mattarella, who could theoretically veto the appointment: "We hope no one will place vetoes on this person's name or surname. We won't accept it." Financial Times

Iran Deal

Iran is urging China to help protect the nuclear deal that's threatened by U.S. withdrawal. "We expect other remaining members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, including China, to help implement and continue this deal, and fulfil their commitment and obligations according to this deal," the Iranian ambassador to China, Ali Asghar Khaji, said. "If we could gain these rights and benefits from this deal we will stay in it. If these Iranian rights were not satisfied, and our interests were not reached, we will think about other options." South China Morning Post

Dirty Money

The U.K. Parliament's foreign affairs committee says the country has been turning a blind eye to Russian "dirty money," with London being used as a hiding place for the assets of President Vladimir Putin and his cronies. The committee accuses the government of a "lethargic response" to the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Committee chair Tom Tugenhat wrote that "London's markets are enabling the Kremlin's efforts." BBC

DVD Lives

Netflix's DVD division, which boasts a mere three million subscribers, still exists and is still profitable—in the first quarter of this year, it made $56 million on revenues of $99 million. Why is it still around? Because some areas have poor connectivity, making streaming difficult. Also, because it has many more titles on offer than Netflix's vastly more popular streaming service. And also, maybe because some subscribers don't realize they haven't cancelled their subscription. CNBC

This edition of CEO Daily was edited by David Meyer. Find previous editions here, and sign up for other Fortune newsletters here.

About the Authors
By David Meyer
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Alan Murray
By Alan Murray
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

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
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • 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
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Leadership

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang denies the chip boom will go bust soon and actually utters the infamous phrase ‘this time is different’
Big TechSemiconductors
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang denies the chip boom will go bust soon and actually utters the infamous phrase ‘this time is different’
By Jason MaJuly 25, 2026
2 hours ago
SpaceX’s Starship V3 deploys most advanced Starlink satellites then pulls off best re-entry yet with splashdown so soft it floated in the Indian Ocean
Innovationspace
SpaceX’s Starship V3 deploys most advanced Starlink satellites then pulls off best re-entry yet with splashdown so soft it floated in the Indian Ocean
By Marcia Dunn and The Associated PressJuly 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Inside On’s tech lab, where robots build running shoes in 3 minutes and can eliminate up to 300 hours of human work
C-SuiteSportswear
Inside On’s tech lab, where robots build running shoes in 3 minutes and can eliminate up to 300 hours of human work
By Ruth UmohJuly 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Can Apple’s incoming CEO bring back the product design mojo of the Steve Jobs era?
MagazineApple
Can Apple’s incoming CEO bring back the product design mojo of the Steve Jobs era?
By Sebastian HerreraJuly 25, 2026
6 hours ago
g
SuccessCrime
Gen Z ‘teen takeovers’ go from hijinks to shootings, theft and vandalism. Blame ‘adolescent brain development’
By Safiyah Riddle, Corey Williams and The Associated PressJuly 25, 2026
6 hours ago
A Hims cofounder fired his entire marketing team for AI. Now his 24/7 online vet service is growing 20% a month
SuccessMarketing
A Hims cofounder fired his entire marketing team for AI. Now his 24/7 online vet service is growing 20% a month
By Sydney LakeJuly 25, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
Economy
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
2 days ago
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
Big Tech
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
By Sydney LakeJuly 23, 2026
3 days ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
8 hours ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
2 days ago
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
Success
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 25, 2026
10 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 24, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 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.