Sunday, February 8, 2026
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Apple ranks seventh on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list

Despite an uncertain economy, overall customer satisfaction with the retail sector continues to inch forward, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI ) Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2026. Among the industries measured, general merchandise and specialty retailers each climb 1% to 79 and 80 (on a scale of 0 to 100), respectively. Online retailers are stable at 79, while supermarkets slip 1% to an ACSI score of 78. Among speciality retailers, the Apple Store rankings rose 4% to 79. Behind the topline results, retailers are contending with a more disciplined, value-focused shopper, particularly Generation Z customers. Changing purchase patterns, tighter gaps between top and bottom performers, and growing pressure on price and experience are reshaping how brands compete across the sector. “Retailers are facing a cost-conscious consumer who isn’t necessarily spending less in most cases, but spending differently,” said Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI. “These individuals are starting holiday shopping earlier, avoiding last-minute splurges, and trading down to discount and thrift options to stretch every dollar. Together, these shifts are tightening the field between retail winners and laggards and rewarding brands that deliver clear value and a smooth experience online and in store.” I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.

Fortune has released the 2024 Fortune Global 500, the list of the world’s largest corporations ranked by revenue for the 2023 fiscal year. Apple ranks seventh. The tech giant was number eight on the list in 2023. 

Walmart, the Arkansas-based retailer, is No. 1 for the 11th consecutive year, followed by Amazon (No. 2), State Grid (No. 3), Saudi Aramco (No. 4), Sinopec (No. 5), and Chin as National Petroleum (No. 6). Trailing Apple in the top 10 are UnitedHealth Group (No. 8), Berkshire Hathaway (No. 9), and CVS Health (No. 10). Other Big Tech companies the list are Alphabet (No. 17), Microsoft (No. 26), and Meta Platforms (No.66).

Companies on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list posted record aggregate revenue of $41 trillion (up 0.1%) and employed 70.5 million people worldwide. While the revenue was essentially flat in 2023, profits rose 2% after declining in 2022.

I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. All our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.