Verizon Communications

RANK44

Revenue was steady at Verizon and profits surged 24% as new CEO Hans Vestberg pursued a strategy of building the best 5G wireless network without further diversifying into the entertainment business as rivals AT&T and Comcast have done. (Its Verizon Media unit retains assets from the former AOL and Yahoo, acquired in 2015 and 2017, respectively.) Instead, Vestberg has smartly partnered with others, including Disney, to supply popular shows and movies to the carrier's wireless customers. Verizon also met Vestberg's promise to start 5G service in at least 30 cities by the end in 2019, though in most areas, the coverage was quite limited.