Legal Definitions - Fortune 500

The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the 500 largest corporations in the United States by their total revenue for the preceding fiscal year. It serves as a widely recognized benchmark for the financial performance, scale, and influence of major American businesses across various industries.

• Example 1: A burgeoning software startup, after securing its Series B funding, announced its strategic goal to develop innovative solutions specifically tailored for enterprise clients, with the ultimate ambition of being acquired by a Fortune 500 technology firm within the next five years. This illustrates how the Fortune 500 represents the largest and most influential companies, often sought after as strategic partners or acquirers by smaller, growing businesses.

• Example 2: Local officials in a Midwestern city celebrated a major economic development victory when a prominent manufacturing company, recently added to the Fortune 500 list, announced plans to relocate its global headquarters and establish a new production facility in their area. This move was projected to create thousands of jobs and significantly boost the local economy, demonstrating the substantial economic influence and job creation potential associated with companies of this scale.

• Example 3: During an investor briefing, a financial analyst presented a report comparing the quarterly revenue growth of a mid-sized retail chain against the average growth rate of companies within the Fortune 500 consumer goods sector. The analyst used this comparison to highlight the retail chain's competitive performance relative to the industry's largest players, showcasing how the Fortune 500 serves as a crucial benchmark for evaluating market position and financial health.