With the world’s largest consumer market, the United States has long been an incubator for globe-leading companies. Brands like Coca-Cola and Ford are as American as the Liberty Bell and baseball. But some of the iconic companies that, 50 years ago, topped the Fortune 500 list have since fallen behind overseas competitors. The recent financial crisis nearly swallowed up corporate stalwarts like General Motors and Chrysler, which filed for bankruptcy and needed government bailouts. Other corporate icons such as Anheuser-Busch were bought by foreign competitors. But, as some American business giants fade, others are rising. And a new batch of U.S. businesses are inventing the young social media industry. Here’s a look at some of 1960s’ leading companies, according to the Fortune 500 list, and how they’re faring now. It includes Wal-Mart, founded in 1962, the current top Fortune 500 company.
America’s rising stars
As many business giants lose their footing, other companies are on the rise, many of them driving the social media industry.
Walmart stores
Fortune 500 rank: 1
Revenues (millions): $421,849
Profits (millions): $16,389
Employees: 2.1 million
Founded in 1962, Wal-Mart is now the world’s largest retailer, with more than 8,300 stores in 15 countries.
Apple
Fortune 500 rank: 35
Revenues (millions): $65,225
Profits (millions): $14,013
Employees: 46,600
Launched in 1976, Apple has grown into one of the world’s leading technology companies by coming up with several consumer-friendly gadgets such as Mac computers, iPods and iPhones.
Microsoft
Fortune 500 rank: 38
Revenues (millions): $62,484
Profits (millions): $18,760
Employees: 89,000
Microsoft, which long has had a near monopoly on operating systems for desktop computers, has grown into the world’s largest software firm since its launch in 1975.
Fortune 500 rank: 92
Revenues (millions): $29,321
Profits (millions): $8,505
Employees: 26,316
From its launch 13 years ago, Google has grown into the world’s largest Internet search engine business and a globally known brand.
Top U.S. companies 50 years ago and now
Some American companies that ranked high on the Fortune 500 list in 1961 (based on the previous year’s sales) were still big players this year. Others have fallen behind overseas competitors or been acquired.
General Motors
Fortune 500 rank: 1 in 1960; 8 in 2010
Revenues (millions): $12,736 in 1960; $135,592 in 2010
Profits (millions): $959 in 1960; $6,172 in 2010
Employees: 595,151 in 1960; 205,000 in 2010
After going through bankruptcy and getting a $49.5 billion federal bailout in 2009, GM may reclaim its title as the world’s largest automaker from earthquake-impacted Toyota.
Exxon Mobil
Fortune 500 rank: 2 in 1960; 2 in 2010
Revenues (millions): $8,035 in 1960; $354,674 in 2010
Profits (millions): $689 in 1960; $30,460 in 2010
Employees: 140,000 in 1960; 83,600 in 2010
The company, created from Exxon’s 1999 merger with Mobil, is the world’s largest publicly traded oil company.
U.S. Steel
Fortune 500 rank: 5 in 1960; 148 in 2010
Revenues (millions): $3,699 in 1960; $17,374 in 2010
Profits (millions): $304 in 1960; $482 in 2010
Employees: 225,081 in 1960; 42,000 in 2010
Founded in 1901 by Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan and others, U.S. Steel was long the world’s largest steel producer, but struggled as it fell behind competitors in Luxembourg, China, Japan, South Korea and India.
Coca-Cola
Fortune 500 rank: 93 in 1960; 70 in 2010
Revenues (millions): $502 in 1960; $35,119 in 2010
Profits (millions): $39 in 1960; $11,809 in 2010
Employees: 17,383 in 1960; 139,600 in 2010
A pioneer in mass marketing, Coca-Cola has long been the world’s top soft drink company. It jumped in size last year after acquiring the North American operations of its largest bottler.
Anheuser-Busch
Fortune 500 rank: 153 in 1960; NA in 2010
Revenues (millions): $309 in 1960; $36,297 in 2010
Profits (millions): $15 in 1960; $4,026 in 2010
Employees: 8,711 in 1960; 114,313 in 2010
The 159-year-old business was long the nation’s largest beer brewery. But now it’s part of Belgian brewer AB InBev, which acquired Anheuser-Busch in 2008 to become the world’s largest brewer.
