Moline, Ill.-based Deere & Co. last week announced it has been ranked as the most admired company in the Industrial and Farm Equipment category by Fortune magazine in the magazine’s annual ranking of the most admired companies. This is Deere's highest ranking in the past six years.
For its annual listing of the most admired companies, Fortune magazine, working with Hay Group, asked executives, directors and analysts to rate the 10 largest companies in their industries using eight criteria. Fortune calls the 63 industry lists “the definitive report card on corporate reputations.”
The attributes include quality of management, quality of products and services, innovation, long-term investment value, financial soundness, people management (ability to attract, develop and keep talented people), social responsibility and use of corporate assets.
Companies ranking behind Deere in the Industrial and Farm Equipment category include (in order from #2 to #6) Caterpillar, Illinois Tool Works, ITT Corp., Cummins and Trane.