Apple Inc. (AAPL) continues to experience success, despite all of the negative press surrounding the company lately. AAPL has once again been listed as #1 on Fortune’s ‘Most Admired Company’, making this the sixth consecutive time that the company has held the title.

Fortune bases the ranking on nine key categories: Innovation, People management, Use of corporate assets, Social responsibility, Quality of management, Financial soundness, Long-term investment, Quality of products/services and Global competitiveness.

These come from a large poll from executives, analysts and directors in the field. It is not surprising that Apple scored #1 on all of the fields, and it is also not surprising that Google is trailing the Cupertino, California company at #2.

Apple has had a rough time lately with its stock price in a free fall and the widely publicized failure of its Maps feature. However, it remains a financial juggernaut, posting $13 billion in net income last quarter, making it the most profitable company in the world during that period. The company has its fanatical customer base, and it still refuses to compete on price, making the iconic iPhone and iPad products that are still widely seen as prestige devices. Competition may be stiff, but so far it remains behind: In Q4 2012, the iPhone 5 was the world’s best selling smartphone, followed in second place by the iPhone 4S.

Apple has been consistent over the past few years, making sure to set records with its quarterly earnings each year. The company has had issues with its stock lately, with analysts, consumers, and shareholders concerned about the future of the company. However, recent rumors have suggested that Apple is working on a number of projects, including a redesign of the iPad, a new iPhone, an Apple television set, and even a Apple smart watch.

Apple has not seen many changes, particularly in its product lines, since late CEO Steve Jobs stepped down and handed the reins over to current CEO Tim Cook. However, Cook has shown promise and assures that Apple is heading in the right direction. Fortune’s #1 ranking as ‘Most Admired Company’ is most definitely a good start in that direction.

{Via MacRumors}

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