Apple Leaps 49 Spots In 2000 Fortune 500 (Tech List Included)

by , 4:10 PM EDT, April 2nd, 2001

Apple tromped up the ladder of the Capitalist ideal, the Fortune 500. The company traversed from the number 285 spot last year to number 236, and is sandwiched between R. J. Reynolds Tobacco at 235 and the Pepsi Bottling Group at 237. Apple turned in $7.98 billion in fiscal 2000 compared to 1999 revenues of $6.1 billion. That 30.8% increase was enough to propel the company 49 spots higher. This year's revenue is projected to be back around the US$6 to US$6.5 billion range due to the slowdown in the economy in general and PC sector specifically.

Exxon knocked long-running champ GM (General Motors) out of the top spot with more than US$210 billion in revenues. Number 2 Wal-Mart posted US$193 billion (that is NOT a typo, Wal-Mart employees 1.2 million people, for those keeping score at home). GM itself had US$184 billion in revenue. By way of contrast, the difference between #2 and #3, some US$7.6 billion, was almost Apple's gross.

Oil and energy concerns did very well in this year's list, in part from rising energy prices which automatically increase that sectors revenues. People pay for energy before food in some cases. We took a sampling of tech companies including Dell, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, and more, as well as the Top 10, for your edification:

1 Exxon Mobil 210,392.0
2 Wal-Mart Stores 193,295.0
3 General Motors 184,632.0
4 Ford Motor 180,598.0
5 General Electric 129,853.0
6 Citigroup 111,826.0
7 Enron 100,789.0
8 Intl. Business Machines 88,396.0 (The highest ranking tech company and the answer to why IBM is called Big Blue)
9 AT&T 65,981.0
10 Verizon Communications 64,707.0
19 Hewlett-Packard 48,782.0
27 Compaq Computer 42,383.0
34 Motorola 37,580.0 (Almost all of this comes from areas outside sell of the PowerPC to Apple)
41 Intel 33,726.0
48 Dell Computer 31,888.0
49 Ingram Micro 30,715.1 (Massive distributor to retailers, one of two US distributors for Apple)
79 Microsoft 22,956.0
125 Sun Microsystems 15,721.0
138 McDonald's 14,243.0 (A little perspective for you)
194 Gateway 9,600.6
236 Apple Computer 7,983.0

Curious about what it took to break into the Fortune 500 this year? According to Fortune magazine:

This year a company had to produce revenues of more than $3.197 billion in 2000 to make the cut. Together, the FORTUNE 500 generated $7.2 trillion in sales (up more than 13% from last year), made $444 billion in profits, and employed 24 million people.

In a year that whipsawed from growth investing back to value, from frothy optimism to grim anticipation, the criterion for membership in this elite club remained constant: revenues, revenues, revenues. In these turbulent times, we all need a little constancy.

You can see the entire Fortune 1000 at the magazine. The article is also very interesting. If you find something interesting that we didn't mention, please let us know!

For other stories regarding Apple's stock activity, visit our updated Apple Stock Watch Special Report. You can also check out our Apple Financial Boards, a new moderated forum for Apple Investors and people who are interested in Apple's financial dealings.

The Mac Observer Spin:

Gateway beat Apple last year. Proof that there is little justice in the world. What will be very interesting is how Apple will do in 2001. Apple is the only box maker in the above list not to issue warning for the quarter that just ended (after they lowered guidance last quarter). The PowerBook G4 is selling like hotcakes, and we have reason to believe that the PowerMac G4 line is also doing well. Apple announces its Q2 results on April 18th, and we will hopefully get some guidance for the rest of the year as well.

Congrats to Apple for leaping 49 spots in 2000! It is doubtful it will happen again in 2001, but here's hoping. :-)

Fortune