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

Trendingnow

1

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

2

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

3

'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt

1

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

2

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

3

'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
FinanceFortune 500

These Companies Have Made the Fortune 500 Every Year Since 1955

Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 22, 2018, 7:02 PM ET

Even as the Internet age ushers in new giants such as Amazon into the top 10 of the Fortune 500, some familiar faces have stood the test of time.

Fifty-four companies have weathered economic busts, disruption from newer players, and methodological changes on Fortune’s end in calculating the list to appear in every Fortune 500 since 1955.

In this year’s list, these companies accounted for nearly $2.1 trillion in revenue, or 16% of the Fortune 500’s $12.8 trillion in revenue—surviving and even thriving by selling products needed regardless of era. That includes food and beverage sold by firms such as Pepsi and Kellogg, or aerospace and defense firms such as Boeing.

Other firms with extreme longevity may seem less obvious. Consider Motorola Solutions, a spin-off of a company known for making cellphones. Such a product would have been bizarrely out of place in 1955. Though explaining the company’s endurance on the list doesn’t require time travel. Like some other companies that have made it all 64 years on the Fortune 500, Motorola Solutions’ predecessor has gone through spin-offs and rebrandings. Once upon a time, the company was part of a firm known as Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, a car-radio maker founded in 1928.

And while companies have come and gone on the Fortune 500 through its 60-plus years, the largest of the large have continued to endure. Since 1955, just three companies have taken No. 1 on the Fortune 500: Carmaker General Motors, oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil, and finally, today’s king, Walmart.

Even today, all three firms remain in the top three even as they face impending threats. GM and Exxon for instance both face the rise of electric cars from companies such as Tesla. Walmart, which upended GM and Exxon with its revolutionary one-stop shop of cheap goods for the first time in 2002, is now facing a coup from e-commerce titan Amazon.

Tesla gained about 123 spots on the Fortune 500 this year, now resting at 260. Amazon on the other hand has been steadily climbing the ranks, breaching top 10 for the first time on the back of 2017’s revenue. But the steady shuffle of these three giants suggests that despite tech’s ever-growing presence—toppling the king of the list will not be as easy as it seems.

So, could tech firms one day become No. 1 on the Fortune 500? Investors certainly seem to think there’s a good chance. While Walmart is the largest firm by revenue, investors deem iPhone maker Apple a far more valuable company, worth above $900 billion versus Walmart’s $241.6 billion. Amazon, a more direct comparison with the brick-and-mortar retailer, is valued at $763.8 billion.

About the Author
Lucinda Shen
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

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
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Current price of Bitcoin for June 3, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for June 3, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 3, 2026
30 minutes ago
Current price of Ethereum for June 3, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for June 3, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 3, 2026
30 minutes ago
Current price of oil as of June 3, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of June 3, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 3, 2026
48 minutes ago
Current price of silver as of Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Personal Financesilver
Current price of silver as of Wednesday, June 3, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 3, 2026
56 minutes ago
Variant raises $222 million for new fund with a thesis of AI, crypto and ‘autonomy’
CryptoCryptocurrency
Variant raises $222 million for new fund with a thesis of AI, crypto and ‘autonomy’
By Jeff John RobertsJune 3, 2026
1 hour ago
Amazon SVP and CFO Brian Olsavsky
NewslettersCFO Daily
How Amazon’s CFO ‘shatters’ expectations and helped power the company to No. 1 on the Fortune 500
By Sheryl EstradaJune 3, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
North America
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
By Katie Savin, Callie Freitag, Matthew Borus and The ConversationJune 2, 2026
24 hours ago
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
Banking
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
Energy
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
Trump tells Netanyahu, 'You're f—ing crazy' and Wall Street sees it as a sign he’s losing patience with the war and wants it done
Investing
Trump tells Netanyahu, 'You're f—ing crazy' and Wall Street sees it as a sign he’s losing patience with the war and wants it done
By Jim EdwardsJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
Conferences
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
By Preston ForeJune 1, 2026
2 days 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.