Investopedia

Continue to Site »

Fortune 500

Filed Under »
Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Fortune 500'

An annual list of the 500 largest companies in the United States as compiled by FORTUNE magazine. The list is put together using the most recent figures for revenue and includes both public and private companies with publicly available revenue data. Exxon Mobil, Walmart, General Electric and Chevron have vied for the top spots on the list in recent years. To be a Fortune 500 company is widely considered to be a mark of prestige.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Fortune 500'

The collective performance of the Fortune 500 companies may be seen as one indicator of the country's overall economic performance. For example, in the midst of the 2008 recession, the Fortune 500 companies' collective 335% increase in earnings in 2009 was viewed as a possible sign of economic recovery. Companies' addition to and subtraction from the list also say something about the overall economy; for example, homebuilders dropped off the list after the housing market bubble burst.

Articles Of Interest

  1.

    Great Company Or Growing Industry?

    Look at the big picture when choosing a company - what you see may really be a stage in its industry's growth.

  2. Market Capitalization Defined

    Find out the differences between mega-, large-, mid- and small-cap stocks and how each suits different investing styles.

  3. Is Growth Always A Good Thing?

    Getting big quickly looks good, but companies can get into trouble when they do it too fast. Find out how to spot this trouble.

  4. The 5 Biggest Stock Market Myths

    Stocks that go down must come up, right? Wrong. We bust this myth and four other common market misconceptions.

  5. What is a monopoly?

    Monopoly is a fun family game, but in real life, a monopoly can be dangerous to a country's economy. A monopoly occurs when an industry or sector has only one producer of goods or retailer for ...

  6. Weighted Average Cost Of Capital (WACC)

    Weighted average cost of capital may be hard to calculate, but it's a solid way to measure investment quality

  7. Capital Expenditures (CAPEX)

    Learn more about what it costs to produce goods.

  8. Working Capital

    Working capital is one of the basic metrics used to evaluate a company's financial health. Find out what it can tell you about a stock and learn how to calculate it.

  9. What is the difference between "hard money" and "soft money"?

    Hard money and soft money are terms that are often used to describe coin money and paper money, respectively. However, these terms are also used to refer to political contributions in the United ...
comments powered by Disqus
Marketplace
Hot Definitions

  1. Cost-Push Inflation

    A phenomenon in which the general price levels rise (inflation) due to increases in the cost of wages and raw materials.

  2. Happiness Economics

    The formal academic study of the relationship between individual satisfaction and economic issues, such as employment and wealth.

  3. Affluenza

    A social condition arising from the desire to be more wealthy, successful or to "keep up with the Joneses." Affluenza is symptomatic of a culture that holds up financial success as one of the highest achievements.

  4. Icarus Factor

    The term Icarus factor describes a situation where managers or executives initiate an overly ambitious project which then fails. Fueled by excitement for the project, the executives are unable to reign in their misguided enthusiasm before it is too late to avoid the failure.

  5. Angelina Jolie Stock Index

    An index made up of a selection of stocks from companies associated with actress Angela Jolie.

  6. Consequential Loss

    The amount of loss incurred as a result of being unable to use business property or equipment.
Trading Center