TIME, in partnership with Statista, has released its America's Best Companies of 2026 list, recognizing leading U.S. firms based on a comprehensive evaluation of employee satisfaction, financial performance, and sustainability transparency. The ranking considered both public and private companies that publicly disclose their financial and sustainability data, ultimately naming the top 1000.
This year's list places a stronger emphasis on the strength of financial performance, differentiating it from TIME's World's Best Companies list of 2025, which prioritized revenue growth. For instance, Apple, ranked second on the America's Best Companies list, did not appear on the 2025 World's Best Companies ranking due to a slight revenue decrease between 2022 and 2024, the study period for that list. However, Apple has since resumed growth, according to Jonathan Vincent, a data analyst at Statista.
The methodology also favors companies demonstrating sustainable growth, including those that have improved revenues while simultaneously reducing their carbon emissions. Adobe, ranking seventh, saw its position rise due to this focus on sustainable practices.
While technology companies have historically dominated the U.S. corporate landscape, the 2026 list features a notable rise in healthcare companies within the top 10. Eli Lilly, a manufacturer of weight-loss medications, secured the fifth position, and Merck, a leader in cancer treatments, ranked ninth. An investment firm UBS noted in a June 30 research note that the healthcare sector has consistently outperformed the S&P 500. This trend is attributed to expanded healthcare coverage and access, particularly for obesity drugs, with Medicare patients becoming eligible and oral medications drawing new users.
The pharmaceutical industry, which constitutes a significant portion of the healthcare sector, is projected to experience rapid growth. The S&P 500 Pharma index has already shown a 7.1% year-to-date gain, outperforming the "Magnificent 7" group of tech stocks, largely due to the impact of GLP-1 drugs in obesity treatment.
Eli Lilly reported a first-quarter 2026 earnings of $19.8 billion globally, a 56% increase from the previous year. Its drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound generated $12.9 billion in revenue. The company is also developing new therapies, including a cholesterol-lowering treatment with Verve that has shown promising early results.
Merck reported first-quarter 2026 revenues of $16.3 billion, driven by its oncology and animal health portfolios. CEO Robert Davis stated in April that the company is in the process of launching over 20 new products, many with the potential to become blockbusters. This diversification is strategic as patents for Keytruda, the company's cancer immunotherapy that accounted for $8 billion in Q1 revenue, are set to expire in 2028.
Reports from Goldman Sachs, Glassdoor, and the National Society of High School Scholars in 2025 indicate a growing trend of new graduates choosing careers in healthcare over technology, suggesting a shift in professional aspirations.