VF makes list of most admired companies
Fortune named Greensboro's VF Corp. this week to the magazine's 2007 list of the most admired companies in America.
VF was the only Triad firm to make the list and ranked third among apparel companies nationwide - topped by Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren, in that order.
The annual list is based on market research and the opinions of industry executives and analysts, who weigh in on factors including a company's investment value and its social responsibility. The 2007 list was compiled from surveys of 616 companies in 68 industries during the fourth quarter of last year.
Among industry leaders, VF received top marks for use of its corporate assets, quality of company management and financial soundness. The apparel company ranked fifth for innovation and social responsibility.
Though no other Triad firms made Fortune's list, a number of N.C. companies ranked among the "Most Admired." These included: Charlotte-based steel company Nucor, Duke Energy, Wachovia, Bank of America, Lowe's and Martin Marietta Materials, a Raleigh-based producer and supplier of crushed stone, sand, gravel and other construction materials.
Fortune did tap Winston-Salem's BB&T Corp. as a contender on its list.