What is the Fortune 500?

The Fortune 500 is an annual list published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 companies in the United States by annual revenues during their respective fiscal years. Conceptualized by Edgar P. Smith, a Fortune assistant managing editor, the first list was published in 1955 as the Fortune Industrial 500. The list includes both public and private companies across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, mining, energy, and services (since 1995). Being a Fortune 500 company is widely regarded to be a sign of prestige. As of 2022, the top five companies in the Fortune 500 are Walmart, Apple, Amazon, CVS Health, and UnitedHealth Group.

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