Also: Google's surprise subscriptions, sriracha shortage, no Taylor Swift on TikTok. 
Good morning.
Reputation matters in business. Just think of what has happened to Boeing, which five years ago ranked in the top 20 of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired all-stars. These days it’s the butt of screw-loose jokes. Meanwhile Nvidia has soared up the list over the last four years, landing at No. 10 in our latest ranking, out this morning. Ask anyone at either company if these reputational changes matter, and they will tell you: They do. Big time.
Which is why Fortune’s annual World’s Most Admired Companies list deserves some attention. The more than 3,700 executives, directors, and analysts polled in this effort by our partners at Korn Ferry don’t, for the most part, have any special window into what’s going on at these companies. But they do have a good sense of how they are viewed by the people who matter.
So what can we learn from this year’s list? Well first of all, when it comes to reputation, tech rules. Apple is No. 1, Microsoft No. 2, and Amazon No. 3. But that’s why I think special credit should be given to legacy companies who continue to rank well. Take Walmart, a company that many once thought would be defeated by the ascent of Amazon. Instead, its reputation continues to rise, hitting the No. 9 spot this year, up from 13 last year. (If, like me, you are fascinated by the Walmart-Amazon rivalry, I recommend Fortune reporter Jason Del Rey’s excellent new book Winner Sells All, which you can buy on Walmart.com or Amazon.com—or buy a copy on both and compare the experience!)
So what else can you learn from this year’s list? Well, kudos to Eli Lilly, which jumped onto the all-star list at No. 34 this year, and ended Johnson & Johnson’s 10-year reign as the most admired pharmaceutical company. And regrets to Disney, which fell to No. 12 from No. 6, and ceded its spot as the most admired entertainment company to Netflix. (Note that the methodology for choosing the top-ranked companies within industries is different than that for choosing all-stars, which is why Netflix still ranks below Disney on the all-star list at No. 23.)
Credit also goes to Moderna (No. 37), Mastercard (No. 40), L’Oreal (No. 43), and Adobe (No. 46), which made the top 50 after not being ranked last year. And bye-bye to last year’s winners McDonald’s, Nestle, Unilever, Lockheed Martin, and Charles Schwab, which dropped off the list.
You can explore the full list here. More news below.
Alan Murray
@alansmurray
alan.murray@fortune.com
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Google discovers subscriptions
Subscription services now generate $15 billion in annual revenue for Google's parent company, primarily from YouTube. Alphabet reported $86.3 billion in revenue for the most recent quarter, a 13% year-on-year increase, but it still wasn’t enough to satisfy investors who have driven Alphabet’s stock to record highs. Shares dropped almost 6% in extended trading. Fortune
What caused the sriracha shortage?
The famed sriracha shortage of 2022 and 2023 has its roots in a 2016 breakup between manufacturer Huy Fong Foods and pepper supplier Underwood Ranches. The fallout has undermined Huy Fong and its founder David Tran’s success in building the now-iconic sauce. The shortage left an opening for the McIlhenny Company, which makes Tabasco: The company had the bestselling sriracha sauce in the U.S. in the second half of 2023. Fortune
No Taylor Swift on TikTok?
Universal Music Group is threatening to pull its music from TikTok after negotiations between the two companies broke down. UMG argues that TikTok parent ByteDance is not offering fair compensation and protections against AI-generated content. TikTok, in turn, argues that UMG is walking away from a platform “that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.” The licensing agreement expires at the end of January. Bloomberg
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EV Momentum Slows Down According to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Automotive Consumer Study, intent to purchase an internal combustion engine (ICE) in the U.S. is up by 9% while EV intent has fallen by 1%. What impact will this have on electrification amid evolving customer expectations and economic headwinds? Read more.
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