The ranking "America's Best Brands, According to Each Generation" is based on surveys of more than 33,000 Americans, featuring Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. The analysis was primarily based on user experience, customer service, reputation for quality, and likelihood of recommendation.

Methodology

The America’s Best Brands According to Each Generation 2026 rankings were identified from the results of an independent survey of participants who have either made purchases, used services, or looked for further information about a brand within the past three years either in person or online.  Customers evaluated several brands: in total over 220,000 cross-demographic evaluations were collected.

The survey was conducted on brands and service providers from 112 categories, providing results for a broad spectrum of customer experiences across demographic groups via a national online panel. For each category, the most relevant brands were included in the scope of the survey according to user experience, customer service, and reputation for quality.

For most categories, brands must be available to U.S. consumers. Categories involving location-dependent services must be present in at least two census regions. In total, the survey took an average of 10 minutes to complete, and the field period ran from March to May 2026.

The final assessment and rankings were based on the Likelihood of Recommendation (50% of the final score) and three equally weighted evaluation criteria (also 50% of the final score):

1. User Experience: measures the end-to-end journey, including easy access, clear information, meaningful personalization and intuitive technology.

2. Customer Service: measures the speed of responses, the knowledge and relevance of the support provided, and the accessibility of priority options.

3. Reputation for Quality: measures consistent and reliable performance that foster trust and safety, alongside transparent communication regarding return policies and warranties where applicable.

The top 3 to 5 brands based on category size receiving the highest scores in each category and generation were awarded as America's Best Brands According to Each Generation 2026. See the full list here.

Disclaimer:
The rankings are comprised exclusively of brands that are eligible regarding the scope described in this document. A mention in the ranking is a positive recognition based on customers’ evaluations and the data sources available at the time. The ranking is the result of an elaborate process which, due to the interval of data-collection and analysis, is a reflection of the last three calendar years. Furthermore, events following August 31st, 2026, and/or pertaining to individual persons affiliated/associated to the brands were not included in the metrics. As such, the results of this ranking should not be used as the sole source of information for future deliberations. The information provided in this ranking should be considered in conjunction with other available information about the brands or, if possible, accompanied by a visit to the brand's stores or websites. The quality of brands that are not included in the rankings is not disputed.

In 2027, TIME will publish its third annual ranking of the World's Top GreenTech Companies in partnership with Statista, a leading international provider of market and consumer data and rankings. This list will recognize the most innovative, impactful, and successful companies working to reduce humanity’s impact on the environment.

Because many companies in this space are young, TIME and Statista are accepting applications as part of the research phase. An application guarantees consideration for the list, but does not guarantee a spot on either list. Companies that do not apply may also be included in the ranking.

To apply, click here.

More information visit: www.statista.com/page/top-greentech-companies. The winners will be announced on TIME.com in June 2027.

The ranking "America’s Growth Leaders 2027" is the result of a comprehensive analysis conducted to identify the top performing publicly listed companies in the US. The analysis is based on three primary dimensions: Growth Performance, Financial Stability and Stock Performance.

Methodology

The first dimension, Growth Performance, was assessed using data from Statista’s revenue database, which contains company growth data for the last five years. To be considered for the evaluation the companies had to be headquartered in the USA, publicly traded and demonstrate strong revenue growth in the last five years. Relative growth and the number of years in which growth was achieved were considered in the evaluation.

The second dimension, Financial Stability, was investigated by analyzing the companies’ profitability as well as using classic metrics such as the Piotroski F-Score and Altman Z-Score, which refer to a company’s overall financial health and the probability to file for bankruptcy. Industry specific KPIs were utilized to portray financial stability of companies within the banking, insurance and REIT sector.

The third dimension, Stock Performance, was evaluated based on multiple KPIs, that underline the companies’ strengths as a stock investment. The analysis process focused on the average annual growth rate, recent returns, a comparison to the overall market and the stocks’ volatility for the past 5 years.

Once the data was collected and evaluated, it was consolidated and weighted within a scoring model. The scores of all three dimensions were added on an equal percentage basis to form the final ranking score of a maximum of 100 points. The 500 companies with the highest score were awarded as “America’s Growth Leaders 2027” by TIME and Statista.

See the full list

Known for its innovative and meticulously designed products, Apple is spending its 50th year getting back to its roots. In October, a month after naming former hardware lead John Ternus as its new CEO, the company will debut its first foldable iPhone—using technology for which Ternus was named on the original patent filed some 15 years ago. Ternus spoke with TIME for an exclusive first cover interview about the iPhone Duo, and how he plans to lead the iconic company into its next 50 years.

Click here to see TIME's full 2026 Best Inventions and Special Mentions lists

The story anchors TIME’s annual Best Inventions issue, which for more than a quarter century has highlighted the most impactful new products and ideas. To compile this year's list, we solicited nominations from TIME’s editors and correspondents around the world as well as through an online application process, paying special attention to growing fields such as health care, AI, and green energy. We then evaluated each contender on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

The result is a list of 300 groundbreaking inventions (and 100 special mentions)—ranging from the Duo to AI software that lets non-coders build websites and a breakthrough treatment for pancreatic cancer. These are creations changing how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible.