Apple, Target among 'Most Admired' companies

NEW YORK Fortune has released its list of “The Most Admired Companies in America” for 2007, and Apple has found itself at the top of the pack. Other companies that made the top 20 include Target, Costco and Nordstrom.

Apple ceo Steve Jobs was given the credit for pushing Apple up to the number one spot, by understanding how to build a business “on the strength of a portable jukebox and a computer with a single-digit market share.”

Target captured the number 11 spot on the list, not because of its sales performance, which, like other retailers, struggled in 2007, but because of its image as a trendy company with a good image. Fortune cited the company’s contributions to the community.

Rounding out the top 20, Nordstrom was honored for its new focus on luxury. The company has invested in Jeffrey, an operator of upscale boutiques in Manhattan and Atlanta. According to Fortune, the company has put its full support behind Jeffrey founder Jeffrey Kalinsky.