America's Most Admired Companies 2008

Top 20 Most Admired Companies

To create the top 20, Fortune and its survey partners at Hay Group asked the experts -- in this case, more than 3,700 people from dozens of industries -- to select the 10 companies they admire most. This year's winners all have strong records of innovation, leadership, and financial strength -- and their employees know it.

15 of 20

Costco Wholesale

Top 20 rank: 14*
Rank in Specialty Retailers: 1

Costco CEO James Sinegal is a stickler for keeping prices low. The savings he wrings from suppliers are often passed on to consumers, sometimes to the chagrin of investors. But the stock is up 12% over the past year, bucking the general retail trend. With $64 billion in sales (more than Wal-Mart's Sam's Club), a 50-million-strong membership base, and loyalty among hourly employees for its generous compensation, it's no wonder Costco (tied with BMW) has joined the ranks of the Most Admired Companies. -Suzanne Kapner

See how Costco Wholesale rates in 8 key areas

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Last updated March 03 2008: 2:10 PM ET