Ranking the reputation of the 100 most visible companies in America

- Reputation score: 48.6
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: critical

Technically not a company, the United States government can best be described as a bureaucracy of bureaucracies. The largest employer in the United States, the U.S. government is best defined as a group of independent departments—staffed by career professionals—managed by a shared executive structure. With public trust in this executive structure—the president, the Judiciary, and Congress—being historically low, the government tends to be distrusted, despite being indispensable and largely invisible to many in everyday life.

- Reputation score: 49.4
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: critical

It's hard to be loved when your main product is a known carcinogen. Phillip Morris—the American face of the world's largest producer of tobacco and tobacco products, Altria Group—is the manufacturer of cigarette brands like Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Chesterfield, Benson & Hedges, and Parliament. While Altria—a corporate re-brand designed to remove any of the negative associations Phillip Morris has with the holding company—has more assets beyond its tobacco division, the company is the target of increasingly negative perceptions on smoking in the United States. The fact that Phillip Morris must pay for anti-smoking programming as part of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement doesn't help, either.

- Reputation score: 50.1
- Change in rank: down 2
- Reputation status: very poor

If you were to ask a New Yorker what he/she thought of the Trump Organization, the answer would likely be very different from a non-New Yorker that only learned about it during the 2016 Presidential Election. The real estate holding company of Donald Trump, the Trump Organization has been accused of corporate malfeasance, particularly with the management of its Atlantic City casinos; blatant and repeated acts of racism and sexism by its leaders; and shady dealing. However, as the company is attached to Donald Trump, how one sees the company is largely influenced by how one sees Trump, making discussions about the company highly polarized.

- Reputation score: 52.3
- Change in rank: down 9
- Reputation status: very poor

It has become a common sight in America to see an abandoned Sears store in a mall. The erosion of brick-and-mortar shopping has hit Sears hard. Sears, Roebuck, and Company (as the store is formally known) declared bankruptcy in 2018. The company is currently in a state of restructuring, with only 425 stores slated to remain open under new corporate owner Transform Holdco LLC. Its corporate sister, Kmart, will reduce to 202 locations. This is a far drop from being—at one point—the nation's largest and most beloved big box retailer.

- Reputation score: 52.7
- Change in rank: up 1
- Reputation status: very poor

Wells Fargo is in the middle of a major apology and rebranding cycle. The major bank's scandal was discovered late in 2016 when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined the company $185 million after it created several million fraudulent savings and banking accounts on behalf of its customers. This practice would amass service fees, catching the average customer unaware. The creation of the accounts was blamed on management pressure for account managers to cross-sell as many revenue-producing products as possible. Eventually, the company was forced to refund the fees to the customers and pay nearly $3 billion in fines and lawsuit settlements.

- Reputation score: 56.9
- Change in rank: down 6
- Reputation status: poor

Dish Network is the fourth-largest multichannel video provider in the United States by the number of subscribers, following AT&T, Comcast, and Charter. Despite this, Dish has had a harder time with public trust issues than its competitors. The company's independent dealer network, for example, has been charged with violating the Do Not Call Registry, the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991. Dish has also been accused of issuing hidden fees, of carriage disputes with the various content providers—leading to numerous channel blackouts—and of aggressive litigatory actions against alleged service “pirates.”

- Reputation score: 58.1
- Change in rank: down 43
- Reputation status: poor

Facebook is the largest social media service provider, owning and operating Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Along with Amazon, Apple, and Google, Facebook is one of the Big Four technology companies. Due to its size and importance, the realization that the company has not been serious about privacy protections measures led many to doubt Facebook. This was compounded by the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where Facebook user Global Science Research secured the user data for 87 million Facebook users and sold it to the political data firm Cambridge Analytica. The ease with which “fake news” can be promulgated on Facebook has led many to call for governmental intervention.

- Reputation score: 60.0
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: poor

Goldman Sachs emerged from the Great Recession as a villain in the eyes of many. Accused of misleading investors, the banking giant would pay the largest SEC fine at the time from a Wall Street firm for mortgage securities fraud. Despite this, and despite news that the bank set aside $11.4 billion for employee bonuses, the bank still received $10 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program and $12.9 billion in counterparty payments from the AIG bailout. Accusations of stock manipulation, claims of using offshore tax shelters, and the heavy placement of company lobbyists in high positions of power in the federal government have all created an impression that will be difficult for the bank to shake.

- Reputation score: 60.9
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: poor

Another major banking power, Bank of America has been regularly regarded as one of the worst banks in America by reputation. One of the stories backing up the claim is an allegation that Bank of America knowingly delayed or denied loan modifications made under the 2009 Home Affordable Modification Program. Several employees stated that the bank delayed mortgage modifications to collect more fees and to potentially foreclose on the properties. This “profit first” mentality, coupled with reports of terrible customer service, leaves Bank of America the worst ranking retail bank on this list.

- Reputation score: 61.4
- Change in rank: down 13
- Reputation status: poor

The purchase of NBC Universal by Comcast has made the cable provider a virtual vertical monopoly, with full control of the production, distribution, and consumption of its product. This is compounded by allegations that Comcast reserves its highest Internet speeds for its cable TV customers, that it has failed to deliver on a promise to spend $300 million to revamp its poorly-rated customer service, and that it places rivals in more remote parts of its TV guide and bills customers for unordered services.

- Reputation score: 61.8
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: poor

Typically, reports about discount airlines revolve around the lack of amenities and services that customers from more full-service airlines may come to expect. However, even among low-fare carriers, Spirit Airlines receives more complaints than the typical airline. Baggage charges, canceled flights, and “bumped” travelers are regular occurrences. In 2012, the then-secretary of the US Department of Transportation reportedly said of Spirit about the company's carry-on baggage fee, “I think they should fully disclose to people—either if they're calling or if they're looking at a computer screen—in a way that's legible and clearly readable, so that if they are going to charge you, you board the plane and you put your bag above the seat, that whatever that charge is, people can see that. This idea of trying to deceive people with some little amount of print that nobody can read, or somewhere tucked away, I don't agree with that.”

- Reputation score: 61.9
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: poor

It's hard to have a moderate opinion about the social media giant Twitter: you either love it, hate it, or need it. Twitter has been at the center of many of the events that have defined the world today, including the 2009 Austrian student protests, the 2009 Iranian green revolution, the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, the Occupy Movement in America, and the 2013 Brazilian protests. Twitter has made it easy for ordinary individuals to engage in citizen journalism. However, the large number of fraudulent accounts, the online bullying, the easy access scammers have through Twitter to new targets, the rise of online hate speech, and allegations of censorship have all showed the dark side of this major Internet service.

- Reputation score: 63.7
- Change in rank: down 29
- Reputation status: poor

The world's largest fast food chain, McDonald's has faced consistent criticism for the healthiness and quality of its food and its pay structure for its mostly franchised restaurants. The company's greatest challenge, however, is a public change of taste, with consumers increasingly preferring quality and variety over price, leading to the rise of fast-casual giants like Chipotle and Panera. The company is currently facing a decreasing customer base, leading the restaurant chain to invest more than $6 billion to revamp and modernize its stores.

- Reputation score: 64.1
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: poor

On July 27, 2018, New York's Public Service Commission ordered Charter Communications out of the state. The frustration that Charter's Spectrum cable service failed to expand broadband access and deliver full speed connections to existing broadband customers has led the commission to cancel the firm's 2016 acquisition of the state's Time Warner Cable franchises. The chairman of the commission classified Charter's behavior as “brazenly disrespectful behavior toward New York State and its customers.” Charter has since threatened to countersue and has reached an agreement where it will compensate affected customers in exchange for being allowed to stay in the state.

- Reputation score: 65.2
- Change in rank: up 4
- Reputation status: fair

United Airlines' customer service has been the butt of jokes as of late. The highly-publicized 2017 bumping and violent ejection of a doctor from his seat in Chicago left many wondering if the major carrier has a true commitment to its passengers. This is compounded by other reports of United's malfeasance, such as the 2016 removal of a Muslim family for a flight for asking for an advertised safety harness, a 2015 incident where a disabled passenger had to crawl off a plane because the airline did not have a wheelchair ready for him, and a 2018 incident where a puppy was stored in an overhead bin, despite the animal being in a TSA-approved container, where it died.

- Reputation score: 65.8
- Change in rank: down 6
- Reputation status: fair

Fiat Chrysler is America's least trusted car manufacturer. The worst of the Big Three American automakers in regards to performance, reliability, safety, and owner satisfaction, per Consumer Reports, five Fiat Chrysler brands—Fiat, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, and Ram—were, per USA Today, among the worst car brands in America. Chrysler came in 30th out of 30 in the American Customer Service Index's 2018 automobile report, with Dodge coming in 28th, Fiat 26th, and Jeep 16th.

- Reputation score: 66.5
- Change in rank: up 10
- Reputation status: fair

British Petroleum, or BP, has been struggling to regain face ever since the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which killed 11 and discharged 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Nine years after the disaster, the region is still affected. BP was forced to pay the largest corporate settlement in American history, $20.8 billion, after being found guilty of reckless gross negligence.

- Reputation score: 66.6
- Change in rank: down 11
- Reputation status: fair

Like Sears, J.C. Penney has been affected by the slowdown of brick-and-mortar retail and the monopolization of offline retail by Walmart and Amazon. While in better financial shape than Sears, a number of C-suite shakeups, competition from other upscale big box retailers like Macy's and Target, and scandals involving some of its partner brands like Lululemon have weakened the company's market position.

- Reputation score: 66.6
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: fair

Papa John's Pizza has suffered greatly from the actions of its founder. In 2018, founder and former CEO John Schnatter spoke a racial slur during a media training session. This was the latest in public outbursts that included public rants about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. Despite the company's efforts to separate itself from Schnatter's image—including removing him as CEO—Schnatter remains “Papa John” in the imagination of most Americans, in part due to the long advertisement campaign featuring him.

- Reputation score: 66.8
- Change in rank: down 6
- Reputation status: fair

Chipotle was once the bright shining star of the American fast food industry. Known for fresh, high-quality food that is cooked and prepared in front of the customer, Chipotle's repeated food safety crises—starting with a 2008 hepatitis outbreak and escalating with the 2015 outbreaks of E. coli and norovirus—has fundamentally diminished the company's reputation. The icon of fast-casual dining has been suffering from a shrinking customer base ever since.

- Reputation score: 66.9
- Change in rank: up 3
- Reputation status: fair

While far from the worst-ranking airline, American Airlines has its share of critics. A poor on-time record, excessive fees, lost baggage, and poor customer service are among some of the reasons that only United and the low-fare carriers ranked worse by reputation.

- Reputation score: 66.9
- Change in rank: down 10
- Reputation status: fair

Walmart is the king of brick-and-mortar retail in the United States. The largest private employer in the nation, Walmart has been criticized for its labor practices, including the outright denial of union representation for its workers, low wages for hourly employees, its treatment of pregnant and disabled employees, and the dismissal of seasoned employees in favor of new employees that can be paid less. Walmart's business practices with its overseas stores and its sourcing from countries with weak worker protections have also drawn complaints and criticism.

- Reputation score: 67.3
- Change in rank: down 2
- Reputation status: fair

Ride-sharing giant Uber has effectively redefined the taxi business in the United States. Complaints about the failure to properly vet new drivers and to pay fair compensation to its existing drivers plague the platform, as well as regulatory concerns and its deteriorating relationship with taxi drivers in the markets in which Uber operates. Uber, to some, represents unfair competition, as Uber drivers do not have to buy a taxi license or medallion for the vehicle they plan to use. The worst feature, however, is the instability of its C-suite. This has helped lead to Uber's IPO being called the worst performing IPO in American history.

- Reputation score: 67.5
- Change in rank: up 3
- Reputation status: fair

Oil giant ExxonMobil has had a complicated relationship with the truth. It has been reported that while most of its scientists have found that climate change is real and manmade, only a small percentage of its public advertisement acknowledged it. Most of the company's public advertorials actively denied it or directly attacked the characters of climate change advocates. With many of ExxonMobil's lobbyists and executives finding their way to the highest echelons of the federal government––such as, for example, Secretary of State—and with the company's foreign relations being questioned, trust in the company's motivation is notably weak.

- Reputation score: 68.2
- Change in rank: down 9
- Reputation status: fair

In recent years, Dollar General has expanded significantly. Offering low-priced foods and general goods, Dollar General has seemingly exploited the growth of high poverty regions in the United States. A comparison with average supermarket prices, however, shows that dollar stores like Dollar General are more expensive. This has led many to argue that Dollar General is exploiting the food desert crisis in America for profit, leaving the poor to shop in dirty, overpriced stores for lack of choice.

- Reputation score: 68.8
- Change in rank: down 7
- Reputation status: fair

The New York City-based Citigroup is one of the largest banks in the United States. Described as “too big to fail,” the bank has a history of transactions that have left a very dark shadow for the company to overcome. This includes the alleged theft of funds from credit card customers in 2008, the Terra Securities scandal in 2007, describing TARP “bank bailout” funds received by the bank in 2008—totaling a guaranteed $306 billion—as an unmotivated gift, manipulating US Treasury futures more than 2,500 times between 2011 and 2012, and criminal cartel charges in Australia.

- Reputation score: 69.5
- Change in rank: down 4
- Reputation status: fair

The telecommunications conglomerate AT&T is the largest of the “Baby Bells”—companies that were split off from Bell Telephone Company following its dissolution. Based in Dallas, it is the largest telecommunications company, largest cell phone provider, and largest landline telephone service provider in the US. A reputation of dropped calls, slow Internet speeds, poor customer service, and reports of racism, unfair competition, fraud-enabling, privacy intrusion, and Internet traffic-throttling have all made AT&T's reputation one that can only improve.

- Reputation score: 69.6
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: fair

The travel industry is hard, and it is difficult—if not impossible—to be a major air carrier and be considered trustworthy. Atlanta's Delta Airlines does the best among the large American airlines, with the lowest number of “bumped” passengers and the best on-time record among the major American airlines. However, Delta still ranks below some of the “boutique” airlines like Alaska Airlines and Frontier.

- Reputation score: 69.9
- Change in rank: down 23
- Reputation status: fair

Minneapolis-based big-box retailer Target has managed to have an elevated reputation above its competitors. This is in part due to its clean, colorful stores and in part due to its upscale brands that focus more on being trend-bearing than simply inexpensive. This has led the average Target customer to be young, female, and well-educated. The perception of this has led many to jokingly call the store “Targét,” suggesting an image of a French boutique. Concerns about the company's policies on the LGBQT+ community and on employee pay—which is lower than most big box stores on average—have tainted the store's public image, however.

- Reputation score: 70.2
- Change in rank: up 2
- Reputation status: good

Volkswagen is the manufacturer of one of the best-received and rated vehicles in history, the Beetle. However, reports that Volkswagen has tampered with its onboard emission devices to give falsified emission reports have severely damaged the company's reputation.

- Reputation score: 70.2
- Change in rank: down 6
- Reputation status: good

Like Fiat Chrysler, General Motors is suffering under the weight of its reputation. Past critically reviewed vehicles, like the 1980 Chevrolet Citation, the 1984 Pontiac Fiero, the 1986 Buick Riviera, and the 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme have given many the impression that the Big Three automaker could deliver another lemon at any time. Strong growth and performance since the federal auto bailout mitigate this, however.

- Reputation score: 70.7
- Change in rank: down 11
- Reputation status: good

Another victim of Walmart's and Amazon's dominance, Macy's has been struggling in recent years. However, the store's niche customer base of more affluent, older buyers protected the company to a higher extent than JCPenney or Sears. A collapse of its 2018 holiday sales, however, has the company in critical need of revenue.

- Reputation score: 71.4
- Change in rank: down 15
- Reputation status: good

Yum! Brands is the corporate parent of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and WingStreet. With the company's brands largely dated, Yum! has notably been busy trying re-image campaigns—particularly, for Kentucky Fried Chicken. With the middle class—Yums!' target demographic––shrinking, the company is in danger of losing customers. As a plus, Yum! does have Taco Bell, which has been able to compete successfully with McDonald's.

- Reputation score: 71.5
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: good

When most people think of Progressive, the image drawn usually focuses on the long-running Flo the Cashier commercials, featuring character actor Stephanie Courtney. The major auto, motorcycle, pet, and home insurance provider is a pioneer in Pay-As-You-Drive or usage-based insurance pricing, through the company's Snapshot device. According to NerdWallet, Progressive is the lowest-ranking of the four largest insurers in the United States—State Farm, Progressive, Geico, and Allstate—in price, coverage, customer service, and consumer complaints.

- Reputation score: 71.5
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: good

State Farm, which is typically thought of as a "more serious" insurance provider than Progressive or Geico, ranked only slightly better than Progressive in NerdWallet's analysis. The cheapest of the big four regarding policy cost, State Farm is the only one of the four that does not offer Accident Forgiveness for good drivers.

- Reputation score: 71.5
- Change in rank: down 4
- Reputation status: good

Like Dollar General, Dollar Tree has been accused of exploiting the poor for gain. With many of its products carried specifically packaged for the chain, the price per unit weight may be higher than it would be at a local grocery store. However, the “everything's a dollar” mantra encourages buyers not to think too hard about the price. Unlike Dollar Tree, however, Dollar General stores typically have nicer looking stores with more selection than Dollar Tree stores.

- Reputation score: 71.6
- Change in rank: up 1
- Reputation status: good

Verizon Wireless is a very highly regarded company. Offering one of the best networks regarding coverage, the company serves the most wireless customers of any wireless telephone company in the United States with the least airwaves per connection. Despite charging more than its competitors, the quality of service and its reliability ranking suggest that Verizon can get away with it...for now.

- Reputation score: 71.8
- Change in rank: down 3
- Reputation status: good

The wireless telephone company T-Mobile is in the middle of a merger with competitor Sprint. While neither of the companies has a wireless network infrastructure to compete with Verizon, the companies are hoping to team up to beat Verizon and AT&T in the development of their 5G networks. T-Mobile is ranked highly for customer service and employee satisfaction. However, T-Mobile is facing criticism for the merger, with the argument being that the promise of a better 5G network cannot be substantiated, while the loss of Sprint would mean that there is one less option for consumers to choose.

- Reputation score: 72.1
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: good

Capital One is a banking and credit card provider. Seventeenth on Fortune's “100 Best Companies to Work For,” the company ranks highly on employee and customer satisfaction. However, Capital One has been accused of corporate malfeasance, including misleading customers to get them to pay more for services, calling customers' cell phones without consent with an automatic dialer, and adjusting its terms of use to allow the company to contact customers whichever way it wishes, including a personal visit to your home or place of work. The company also assumed the right to spoof caller ID to identify itself in whatever manner it chooses.

- Reputation score: 72.3
- Change in rank: down 5
- Reputation status: good

The South Korean Hyundai Motor Company is the third-largest automotive manufacturer in the world. One of the best-priced lines of vehicles on the market, Hyundai has regularly performed competitively against comparable German and Japanese brands, especially regarding reliability and product quality.

- Reputation score: 72.5
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: good

Dick's Sporting Goods is the leading retailer for sporting, hunting, and camping goods in the United States. For a while, Dick's was the exclusive retailer of Under Armour clothing and shoes. However, the company's decision to sell in more venues has directly impacted Dick's bottom line. Complicating the situation is Dick's decision to no longer carry assault-style weapons or high-capacity magazines and to raise the minimum age for purchasing a firearm to 21.

- Reputation score: 72.7
- Change in rank: down 5
- Reputation status: good

The shine on coffee giant Starbucks' public image may have faded somewhat. Workplace reputation was at its lowest level in ten years in 2018 and the incident involving two black men being arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks effectively erased all the good the company has attempted to do regarding race relations. Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz's presidential race exploratory campaign—which highlighted the assumptions made by those of wealth regarding the right to power—has basically fallen flat, leaving the company to deal with the repercussions.

- Reputation score: 73.0
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: good

The highest ranking Big Three automaker, Ford is the maker of the Ford F-series, the best-selling pickup trucks in America since 1977 and the best-selling vehicle in America since 1986. Known for quality, long usable lifespan, and durability, Ford vehicles have become synonymous with American excellence.

- Reputation score: 73.1
- Change in rank: down 9
- Reputation status: good

eBay is the premier online auction site in the world. Started during the dot-com bubble of the 1990s, the firm has continued to grow, expanding to online money transfers (via PayPal, which was eventually spun off), online event ticket trading, and “Buy It Now” non-auction selling. Like many online services, eBay has been subjected to hacks and data theft, with the latest coming in 2014. This theft has largely diminished the company's trustworthiness, though not necessarily its popularity.

- Reputation score: 73.2
- Change in rank: up 10
- Reputation status: good

British-Dutch oil company Royal Dutch Shell is the largest company in the world not based in the United States or China. The largest energy company on the planet, it is represented in the United States as the Shell Oil Company. The company's drilling for oil in the Arctic Circle has left questions about the company's commitment to environmental stewardship.

- Reputation score: 73.3
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: good

Formerly a part of Sears, Allstate is one of the highest-ranked large American insurers. Known for the “Mayhem” commercials featuring Dean Winters, Allstate was losing customers until it purchased leading insurance provider Esurance in 2011. In contradiction to its reputation as the “Good Hands People,” Allstate was accused of lowballing claims, fighting parties injured by policyholders, and engaging in a culture that promotes profits over customers.

- Reputation score: 73.4
- Change in rank: down 11
- Reputation status: good

Primarily a low-fare airline, Southwest Airlines is the largest such carrier in the world and the largest flier of domestic passengers in the United States. Southwest has distinguished itself in customer service, with two free checked-in bags per passenger, no charge for last-minute flight changes, free alcoholic drinks on major holidays, crews that regularly burst out in song, free streaming movies and music, and the lowest number of complaints of any major American carrier.

- Reputation score: 73.4
- Change in rank: up 21
- Reputation status: good

21st Century Fox technically no longer exists. The result of the spinning-off of News Corporation's publishing assets, 21st Century Fox held News Corp's movies and television assets. Following the purchasing by Disney of the 20th Century Fox television and films studios, Fox Television Group (excluding Fox Broadcasting, Fox News, Fox Television Stations, Fox Business Network, and the Fox sports channels), Fox's international channels, Star India, and 30 percent of Hulu, the remainder of 21st Century Fox became the Fox Corporation.

- Reputation score: 73.6
- Change in rank: up 11
- Reputation status: good

Major American banking firm JPMorgan Chase has lost face in the years since the Great Recession from allegations that the bank manipulated foreign currency rates and committed corporate malfeasance in its mortgage-origination practices. Despite this, the bank is the world's largest investment bank by revenue. It has also promoted a significant number of women to management positions in the last year.

- Reputation score: 73.6
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: good

The second-largest gaming company in the western world following Activision Blizzard, Electronics Arts is noted for its EA Sports brand and games like the Sims franchise, Medal of Honor, Dead Space, Titanfall, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. In 2012, EA was awarded the Golden Poo for being the "Worst Company in America." A major reason for this was EA's habit of buying out smaller publishers to kill off competition and regularly subjecting its programmers to 100+ hour weeks. EA has since been working to improve its image.

- Reputation score: 74.2
- Change in rank: down 5
- Reputation status: good

The New York State-based beverage giant PepsiCo has regularly come in as one of America's best brands. However, following a misstep in an advertising campaign featuring Kendall Jenner in 2017, Pepsi's public brand has taken some damage. The long-term “hip” alternative to Coca-Cola now seems tone-deaf with accusations that the company co-opted protest movements like Black Lives Matter in its now-regrettable ad.

- Reputation score: 74.3
- Change in rank: down 17
- Reputation status: good

At one point in history, IBM was the computing industry. The creator of the ATM, the floppy disk, the hard drive, the magnetic stripe, the UPC code, and dynamic random-access memory, among other inventions that make modern computing possible, IBM was the dominant business hardware researcher and developer for decades. Today, IBM focuses on enterprise-level servers and computer terminals, with the company having famously developing the CPU for the PlayStation 3.

- Reputation score: 74.6
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: good

The Rhode Island-based retail pharmacy CVS is emerging as one of the nation's premier health service providers. With the merger of pharmacy benefit management company CareMark Rx in 2007 and the launch of MinuteClinic retail clinics, CVS is one of the few American retail companies that can offer insurance coverage, pharmaceutical support, and medical treatment in a non-hospital setting under the same umbrella. The potential merger with insurance company Aetna would transform CVS into a healthcare vertical channel, leading to possible allegation of being a monopoly.

- Reputation score: 74.6
- Change in rank: up 3
- Reputation status: good

The venerable credit and charge card company American Express has been a victim of its prestige in its history. For example, American Express once gave fee discounts to merchants that only accepted its cards, creating a sense of exclusivity and elitism. When a group of restaurants and businesses started to shun American Express in favor of Mastercard and Visa, American Express had to abandon the exclusivity strategy. American Express has had trouble shaking this sense of exclusivity, making it hard for the business to find new business lines.

- Reputation score: 74.9
- Change in rank: up 9
- Reputation status: good

Seattle-based Nordstrom is the only fashion retailer to appear on this list. A specialty retailer, Nordstrom avoided many of the foibles that other retailers have found competing with Walmart and Amazon. Nordstrom operates in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada, as well in 96 countries through its websites Nordstrom.com, hautelook.com, and nordstromrack.com.

- Reputation score: 75.1
- Change in rank: down 21
- Reputation status: very good

Berkshire Hathaway is the Warren Buffett-run holding company based in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the full owner of GEICO, Dairy Queen, Duracell, Fruit of the Loom, Lubrizol, Helzberg Diamonds, FlightSafety International, PamperedChefs, and NetJets, and the partial owner of Pilot Flying J, American Express, Kraft Heinz, Wells Fargo, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, and Apple. Known for having large amounts of capital and little debt, Berkshire Hathaway's stock has the highest price on the market today. This is part of Buffett's management plan, making it difficult to buy and sell Berkshire Hathaway stock and limiting price volatility in the market.

- Reputation score: 75.2
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: very good

Under Armour has emerged as one of the fastest-growing athletic apparel manufacturers in America today. Its breathable workout t-shirts and shorts were more comfortable than comparable items on the market—especially when worn under game gear—which made it a quick favorite of college and professional athletes. The clothing brand's appearance on Any Given Sunday and The Replacements made the company infamous, followed by an agreement to be the official outfitter of the short-lived XFL.

- Reputation score: 75.3
- Change in rank: up 9
- Reputation status: very good

In recent years, multifaceted conglomerate General Electric has been struggling to maintain profitability. Comcast bought out GE's shares of NBC Universal in 2013, after which GE sold its property portfolio and most of its financial unit to Wells Fargo and the Blackstone Group, its appliance division to Haier Group in 2016, and its transportation-finance unit to the Bank of Montréal in 2015.

- Reputation score: 75.4
- Change in rank: down 39
- Reputation status: very good

Tesla is a manufacturer of high-performance electric cars. As the world's bestselling maker of plug-in cars, Tesla has been a driver and innovator of green energy implementations, such as solar-powered batteries and roof tiles. The behavior of co-founder and CEO Elon Musk, however, in addition to several recalls and high-profile crashes, have distracted somewhat from the business mission.

- Reputation score: 75.4
- Change in rank: down 13
- Reputation status: very good

The company behind the world's largest website by user traffic, Google is also the owner of YouTube and the developer of the Google suite of cloud-based productivity software (including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Translate), mapping and navigating software (Google Maps, Google Earth), Internet web browsers (Google Chrome), smartphones (Google Pixel), and software operating software (Chrome OS). Through its research efforts, the company is exploring home automation, Internet carrier technologies, virtual reality/augmented reality, and even medical research.

- Reputation score: 75.4
- Change in rank: up 1
- Reputation status: very good

The 2015 acquisition of rival retail pharmacy Rite-Aid, as well as the 2016 shutdown of Drugstore.com and Beauty.com, have helped Walgreens emerge as both a major online and offline pharmaceutical giant. The company, however, has a dodgy history with altering prescriptions, overcharging Medicaid, distributing oxycodone to possible addicts and drug dealers, and pricing irregularities.

- Reputation score: 75.6
- Change in rank: same
- Reputation status: very good

The computer and printer developer HP is the result of a 2015 splitting of Hewlett-Packard between its consumer equipment and enterprise divisions. The split helped HP to regain its position as the market leader for personal computers, having lost its position to Lenovo in 2013. The company has focused on the gaming sphere and customers in the mid-range hardware cost bracket.

- Reputation score: 75.9
- Change in rank: same
- Reputation status: very good

Of the big box American retail chains, Kohl's is one of the best-respected. As a department store chain, it is the largest in the nation by number of stores and the second largest by sales. Despite starting off as a grocery store, Kohl's has transitioned to its current department store format after the grocery stores—which were operating under the Kohl's name alongside the department stores—were sold off. While Kohl's suffers the same bite as other retailers due to Walmart and Amazon, Kohl's has chosen to go into business with Amazon, where it would accept Amazon returns at select stores.

- Reputation score: 75.9
- Change in rank: up 5
- Reputation status: very good

Toyota is a Japanese auto manufacturer. The company is the largest auto manufacturer in the world, being the first to produce over 10 million vehicles in a year. The manufacturer produces vehicles under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Hino, Ranz, and Daihatsu, with its Prius family being the world's best-selling hybrid vehicle line. Toyota is also the world's leader in hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

- Reputation score: 76.0
- Change in rank: down 17
- Reputation status: very good

Honda is a Japanese auto, power equipment, and motorcycle manufacturer. The company is the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer and the world's largest producer of internal combustion engines. One of the company's more unique products is the ASIMO robot, which is one of the first fully-functioning, walking androids to be publicly demonstrated.

- Reputation score: 76.0
- Change in rank: up 23
- Reputation status: very good

During the 2019 Men's March Madness, footwear giant Nike received the scare of its life. With the debate over Division I basketball teams signing major endorsement deals while players are forbidden to receive any compensation still a hot debate in the sports world, top NBA prospect Zion Williamson's Nike-provided game shoe broke, causing the 6-foot-7, 285-pound player to crash to the ground while charging the hoops. Williamson had previously burned through several shoes, with most unable to support his frame. Nike's stock price fell, placing an uncomfortable light on its sponsorship programs, but the effects seem to have passed.

- Reputation score: 76.1
- Change in rank: up 12
- Reputation status: very good

Minneapolis-based Best Buy is one of the last national consumer electronics department stores still in existence. Its Geek Squad at-home installation service is as distinct as the company's blue and yellow color scheme. The nation's largest consumer electronics retailer, it is also Barron's “Most Sustainable Company in the United States.”

- Reputation score: 76.3
- Change in rank: up 7
- Reputation status: very good

Maker of healthcare devices, pharmaceuticals, and home-based packaged goods, Johnson & Johnson is an iconic American company. A conglomerate of about 250 companies, Johnson & Johnson produces Band-Aid, Johnson's Baby Shampoo, Tylenol, Clean & Clear facial wash, and Acuvue contact lenses, among others. The company, however, has had to deal with some major scandals, including a 2017 consumer fraud case, several lawsuits in 2016 regarding its vaginal mesh implant, and continuing lawsuits over the cancer risk of its baby powder and its accountability in the opioid epidemic.

- Reputation score: 76.4
- Change in rank: down 3
- Reputation status: very good

For much of Apple's life, it was a minor player in the computing world. Producing a computer in opposition of the Intel PC clones' modular component model, the Mac line of computers developed a devoted customer base but was unable to make significant headway. This all changed when co-founder Steve Jobs returned to the company after being deposed. He oversaw the development of the iPod, the MacBook, the iPhone, and iTunes, and—in doing so—redefined computing to be something that can fit in a pocket. Apple became the second most-valuable company in the world, following Microsoft, the largest technology company in the world, and the principal driver of the transition into the modern era of mankind—the Information Era.

- Reputation score: 76.8
- Change in rank: down 4
- Reputation status: very good

The largest beverage manufacturer in the world, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola is a century-old company. Based on a patent medicine that featured kola nuts and coca leaves, the namesake beverage today is one of the most iconic products in the world. Besides Coca-Cola, the company produces Sprite, Tab, Minute Maid, Powerade, Dasani, and Nestea beverages.

- Reputation score: 76.9
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: very good

Japanese toy manufacturer Nintendo is now known for the Pokemon and the Super Mario game franchises, but it wasn't so long ago the company owned the video game industry. Inheriting an industry that was defined by (and almost killed by) Atari, the Nintendo Entertainment System—Nintendo's first non-handheld game system—revitalized the video gaming industry and created the current third-party distributor model. Until the advent of the Sony PlayStation, Nintendo was the global market leader for video gaming. While now in third place, the successful launch of the Nintendo Switch and marketing deals—such as the recently-released “Detective Pikachu” film—is revitalizing interest in the company.

- Reputation score: 77.1
- Change in rank: up 7
- Reputation status: very good

Texas-based computer manufacturer Dell is the largest manufacturer of computer monitors worldwide. Following a buyout in 2013 after a collapse of the PC market and a slowdown of Dell's sales, the company was removed from the stock market. However, Dell's purchase of enterprise storage company EMC helped to usher the company into profitability.

- Reputation score: 77.1
- Change in rank: up 5
- Reputation status: very good

Switzerland-based food and drink manufacturer Nestle is one of the world's largest food manufacturers, with 29 products bringing in over $1 billion in annual sales. Among these are Kit Kat (licensed in the US by H.B. Reese, a division of Hershey), Nespresso, Nescafe, Nesquik, Smarties, and Stouffer's.

- Reputation score: 77.3
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: very good

Germany-based Adidas is one of the most iconic sneaker brands in the world. Since Run-D.M.C. rapped “My Adidas” in 1986, the Adidas brand has been embraced in the hip-hop community and in the sports world, to be displaced somewhat by Nike. The second largest sportswear manufacturer in the world after Nike, Adidas owns Reebok, TaylorMade, and Runtastic.

- Reputation score: 77.3
- Change in rank: new to poll
- Reputation status: very good

The Swedish furniture retailer and manufacturer Ikea has become somewhat of a cultural standard worldwide. The world's largest furniture retailer, Ikea is known for its ready-to-assemble furniture. One of the strangest facts about the company is that Ikea is not a Swedish word; it is the initials of the company's founder Ingvar Kamprad, the first letter of the farm he grew up on (Elmtaryd), and his hometown of Agunnaryd.

- Reputation score: 77.3
- Change in rank: up 12
- Reputation status: very good

Unilever—the merger of British soap-maker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine-maker Margarine Unie—is one of the world's largest food and consumer goods manufacturers. Unilever owns over 400 brands, including Ben & Jerry's, Hellmann's, Knorr, Lipton, Dove, Degree, Axe, Breyers, Ragú, and Häagen-Dazs. Unilever is the largest ice cream manufacturer in America.

- Reputation score: 77.3
- Change in rank: down 3
- Reputation status: very good

The video rental and video streaming platform Netflix has redefined how we rent videos. Credited with killing off Blockbuster Video, Netflix is no longer alone in either the DVD rental or the video streaming world. However, the quality of Netflix's original programming has kept the service on top. Recent blunders, including the cancellation of Marvel Cinematic Universe shows like “Jessica Jones” and “Daredevil,” as well as a number of poorly-received original shows and movies, have revealed that Netflix is vulnerable to same the foibles of any mainstream movies or television production company.

- Reputation score: 77.4
- Change in rank: down 13
- Reputation status: very good

Aldi is a German-owned no-frills supermarket. Relying on carrying a smaller selection of items, with the majority being Aldi's store brands, the store celebrates its low prices. Other cost-saving features in Aldi stores include no bags (customers must bring their own bags and package their own purchases), no in-store music, minimal shelving (most items are displayed in their shipping boxes, which reduces the need for stockers), and a required deposit (usually 25 cents) for a shopping cart.

- Reputation score: 77.5
- Change in rank: down 18
- Reputation status: very good

The Christian-based, family-owned chicken restaurant chain Chick-fil-A has developed a strong following. Many people have sworn by the company's chicken sandwich, to the point that long lines at the drive-thru are not uncommon. The restaurant's limited menu and the fact that it is closed on Sundays have wrinkled a few noses, but most are just happy for a good chicken sandwich.

- Reputation score: 77.9
- Change in rank: down 3
- Reputation status: very good

Cincinnati-based Kroger is a supermarket chain operating in 35 states and the District of Columbia. It is the largest supermarket chain in the nation by revenue and the nation's second-largest general retailer. Kroger maintains grocery stores, department stores, grocery/department store hybrids, and jewelry stores.

- Reputation score: 77.9
- Change in rank: up 2
- Reputation status: very good

North Carolina-based Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in America, following Home Depot. While Lowe's was initially hurt by the introduction of Home Depot, Lowe's has since grown to be an alternative to it once Lowe's switched to a big box format. The company has both big box and traditional department store centers in all 50 states and Canada. The company also has stores in Mexico, but they are all slated to close.

- Reputation score: 78.3
- Change in rank: down 3
- Reputation status: very good

The grounding of the Boeing 737 Max fleet shook public confidence in the venerable aircraft manufacturer. On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed six minutes after taking off in Addis Ababa. This was the second crash of a Boeing 737 Max, with the first being the October 2018 Lion Air Flight 6610 from Jakarta to Pangkai Pinang. In both cases, the 737 Max's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System was thought to malfunction, causing the planes to dive. The 737 Max fleet is expected to be cleared for flight by August 2019, but the demand by some airlines for compensation from Boeing potentially threatens the company's bottom line.

- Reputation score: 78.6
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: very good

Despite the recent closing of some Sam's Club stores, Costco remains the primary warehouse club chain in America. The world's largest seller of prime beef, organic foods, wine, and rotisserie chickens, Costco has found a happy medium between being both economical and quality-driven. Like Target, Costco has developed a reputation for being upscale, drawing a demographic from a higher income bracket than customers at competitor Sam's Club.

- Reputation score: 78.8
- Change in rank: up 17
- Reputation status: very good

The United States Automobile Association, or USAA, is a diversified financial services conglomerate based out of Austin, Texas. Its most well-known company is the Texas Department of Insurance, a regulated insurer that offers banking, investing, and insurance services to active-duty members of the US Armed Forces, veterans, and servicemembers' families. As the company is owned by its insurance holders, profits are returned to policy holders.

- Reputation score: 78.9
- Change in rank: up 28
- Reputation status: very good

Hobby Lobby is a national chain of arts and crafts stores. The store became the target of national news when David Green, the CEO and founder of the company, sued the federal government on the grounds that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act required employer-provided healthcare plans to cover emergency contraceptives. A self-pronounced Christian, Green argued that the provision is in violation of his religious beliefs. The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of Green.

- Reputation score: 79.0
- Change in rank: up 10
- Reputation status: very good

South Korean conglomerate LG is a principal global manufacturer of electronics, telecom products, and chemicals. A major manufacturer of smartphones, LG has a sizable chunk of the market, but not as much as Samsung, Apple, or Huawei. LG is the world's second-largest manufacturer of LCD televisions.

- Reputation score: 79.0
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: very good

Kraft Heinz is the merger of food companies Kraft and Heinz Foods. The third-largest food manufacturer in the US, and fifth in the world, Kraft Heinz is the product of Berkshire Hathaway's Heinz Foods—which purchased Heinz from the Heinz family in 2013—agreeing to merge with Kraft Foods, which is a spin-off from the larger corporation, which rebranded as Mondelez International. Kraft Heinz has over 25 brands including Planters, the Heinz condiment line, Grey Poupon, and Oscar Mayer.

- Reputation score: 79.1
- Change in rank: same
- Reputation status: very good

Fidelity Investments is a multi-trillion-dollar asset manager based in Boston. As of December 2018, Fidelity has $6.7 trillion in customer assets and 30 million individual investors. Fidelity runs a brokerage firm and a cryptocurrency desk and manages mutual funds, fund distribution, index funds, retirement services, life insurance, and securities execution and clearance.

- Reputation score: 79.1
- Change in rank: up 14
- Reputation status: very good

Home Depot, based in Cobb County, Georgia, is the largest home improvement store in the United States. The company operates in all 50 states, the larger American territories, Canada, and Mexico. Having built the first Home Depots in former JC Penney stores, the company has since expanded to being the definitive name in home improvement and to sponsoring ESPN College GameDay, Joe Gibbs' Racing NASCAR team, and several US and Canadian Olympic teams.

- Reputation score: 79.3
- Change in rank: down 4
- Reputation status: very good

United Parcel Service—better known as UPS—is an American package and letter delivery service provider and copy and print store operator. A competitor to FedEx, UPS has partnered with the US Postal Service to allow UPS to transport and deliver mail and packages under one pound, or to allow USPS to deliver packages of under 10 pounds that UPS shipped.

- Reputation score: 79.4
- Change in rank: up 21
- Reputation status: very good

Sony is a Japanese conglomerate that primarily manufactures consumer and professional-grade electronics and gaming equipment, as well as engaging in entertainment production and financial services. The company is the largest music company, the largest game console manufacturer, and one of the largest electronic product manufacturers in the world. The company is the producer of the Men in Black and Spider-Man movie franchises, produces the game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, and is the manufacturer of the PlayStation, among other things.

- Reputation score: 79.7
- Change in rank: up 2
- Reputation status: very good

Based in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft is the largest company in the world by valuation, having displaced Apple in 2018. The creator of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, Microsoft has software in some form on most of all computers—consumer or enterprise-grade—in the world. Other products include the Xbox line of gaming consoles, Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, and the Edge web browser. The company is also the owner of LinkedIn and Skype.

- Reputation score: 79.8
- Change in rank: up 12
- Reputation status: very good

Cincinnati-based Proctor & Gamble is one of the largest producers of personal heath goods and personal hygiene products. The company has relinquished its food holdings of Smucker's and Kellogg's to restructure the company as a more streamlined operation. Other brands shed in the corporate reshaping includes Vicks, Duracell, SpinBrush, Rembrandt, RightGuard, Soft and Dri, Liquid Paper, and Paper Mate.

- Reputation score: 80.0
- Change in rank: up 28
- Reputation status: excellent

South Korea's Samsung is the world's largest computer chip maker, consumer electronics maker, and information technology company, by revenue. Samsung is also the world's second largest shipbuilder and the world's largest producer of cellphones and smartphones. Samsung has the most patents of any company.

- Reputation score: 80.3
- Change in rank: up 2
- Reputation status: excellent

Based in Lakeland, Florida, Publix Super Markets is a grocery store chain in the Southeastern United States. The 12th Best Company to Work For according to Fortune, it is also the magazine's Most Admired Company in the Food & Drugs sector. The store offers a number of employee perks, including tuition reimbursement, an employee stock purchase program (the company is owned in full by past and current employees and the family of the founder), and ESL on-site classes at some locations. Publix is also the number one Best Big Company to Work For.

- Reputation score: 80.4
- Change in rank: same
- Reputation status: excellent

The Walt Disney Company is the 10,000-pound mouse in the corner. One of the largest media conglomerates in the world, Disney has recently gotten even bigger with the acquisitions of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation and Fox Searchlight Pictures. The company now includes Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Blue Sky Studios, the Muppets Studio, Hulu, ABC Studios, and ESPN. This, however, also means that most of the major blockbusters in recent years—including all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films—have been Disney productions.

- Reputation score: 80.7
- Change in rank: up 11
- Reputation status: excellent

Maine's own L.L. Bean is an outdoor recreational clothing and equipment manufacturer and retailer. Starting with just one product—duck boots—the company opened a mail-order business,and then a retail store. A hallmark of the store was its lifetime guarantee, which it discontinued in 2018. The company went on to make firearms, tents, backpacks, and a full line of clothing. A children's water bottle recall due to the presence of lead, Bean family member Linda Bean's financial support of the 2016 Trump Campaign, and weak sales have led to L.L. Bean making a number of controversial changes, including the cancellation of the lifetime replacement plan, workforce reductions, bonus and pension plans reductions, and increasing the minimum purchase for free shipping. For many, this represented a proud manufacturer backing away from the quality of its product and the loss of a trusted brand.

- Reputation score: 81.4
- Change in rank: up 6
- Reputation status: excellent

Rival to L.L. Bean, Ventura, California-based Patagonia is an outdoor sports clothing and soft gear retailer. In the last four years under CEO Rose Marcario, the company's revenue has tripled, bringing Patagonia back from the 1989 bankruptcy of original company Chouinard Equipment and the splitting of its climbing gear business. The split separated Chouinard into Patagonia and Black Diamond Equipment. Unlike L.L. Bean, Patagonia has a limited lifetime return policy; customers can return certain used models for store credit. These return items are cleaned and refurbished and sold on the “Worn Wear” section of the Patagonia website.

- Reputation score: 82.3
- Change in rank: down 1
- Reputation status: excellent

There have been a few hiccups with Amazon in recent months. The cancelled headquarters expansion in New York, the pushback against CEO Jeff Bezos by Donald Trump in response to the Washington Post's coverage of the White House, and Jeff Bezos' divorce have created some bad press for the e-commerce giant. However, critical acclaim for Amazon Prime's original series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “A Very English Scandal,” “Homecoming,” and “Fleabag,” as well as the company's positioning as the largest e-commerce site in the world ,keep Amazon in high standing.

- Reputation score: 83.0
- Change in rank: up 1
- Reputation status: excellent

It is rare to find a supermarket that has a cult following. The Rochester, New York-based, family-owned supermarket chain Wegmans is—from a cursory view—not so different from any other full-service, "gourmet" grocery store. However, from its persistently high customer service and employee satisfaction levels to its insistence on sourcing produce from farmers local to its stores to its European open-air market feel and insistence on healthy eating, Wegmans has marked itself as a strong candidate for the best supermarket in America. The grocer is so distinguished that not only has Wegmans been on Fortune's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" since 1998, it regularly gets thousands of requests for new stores, per the grocer's website.