The 10 Least Liked Companies In America

How much does the public value corporate leadership? Harris Interactive's latest corporate reputation survey, which measures how Americans view some of the world's largest companies, suggests that a firm's brand is even more closely tied to its leadership than many would assume.

The companies with the top ratings, including Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Google and Intel, are all known as much for their products as their first-class management. Here's Robert Fronk, senior vice President, global practice lead and reputation management at Harris:

"In last year's study we saw companies that provided value and a sense of comfort getting strong overall reputation ratings. This year, we see overall corporate governance, performance and leadership driving positive reputation perceptions. Finding two holding companies, Berkshire Hathaway and SC Johnson, in the top five, is a visible reflection of this difference in focus."

The worst ranked companies in the survey, however, tell an entirely different story. And, the results suggest, the American public is still quite angry about the cost of the taxpayer-provided bailouts doled out in the last few years. For nine big bailout recipients, that cost includes a spot in this list of the 10 companies in America with the worst corporate reputations.

Check out the list here:

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10. Delta Airlines

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Of the 10 most hated U.S. companies in 2009, Delta Airlines is the only company that did not receive government bailout funds, according to a Harris Interactive U.S. Reputation Quotient Survey.

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Of the 10 most hated U.S. companies in 2009, Delta Airlines is the only company that did not receive government bailout funds, according to a Harris Interactive U.S. Reputation Quotient Survey.

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Ain't so bad Pure corporate evil

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Comments

[Loni Wolf]

03:59 PM on 04/27/2010

Where's WELLPOINT- the company that purloined Medicare records to get info on Women who had had histoires of Breast cancer in their lifetimes & used the data to reascind their policies? the results of the illegal data gave CEO Angela Braly a 51% raise, $11million of it in TAX FREE stock options !!! If that isn't in the Hall of SHAME who should be?

[sixyfivepercentwater]

01:10 PM on 04/27/2010

The American public's "anger" with these companies is directly proportionate to their mistaken expectations that these companies - or any corporation - should be good and true and kind and care about the little guy.

There is absolutely no rational reason to be "angry" with a company, any company. Companies do what they are allowed to do under the law. They exist for profit and nothing else, as companies always have. While a rational person might be upset by the lack of regulation over the actions of corporations, being angry at the corporations themselves is simply nonsensical.

[Loni Wolf]

04:03 PM on 04/27/2010

The key here is LEGAL- what most of these companies are doing Is NOT legal ,but they are managing through a series of manuevers and connnections to avoid prosecution. THAT is why people are angry. Do you see people hating Berkshire- Hathaway? NO they do business in a legal & ethical fashion. Nobody begrudges them profit. because they get it the right way. Is 3M on this list? NO I could go on, but I don't need to I've made my point.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

04:39 PM on 04/27/2010

You really haven't made your point. You feel these companies are getting away with illegal activities, and while you might be right, you can't prove it. No one can prove it so far, which is why they haven't been found guilty. In this country there is a presumption of innocence.

In terms of a business model, the "right way" to get money is any way a company can, within the law.

[ProComputer]

03:50 PM on 04/16/2010

Most hated? Discount Auto Repair in Los Angeles.

Or perhaps FOX News parent News Corporation?

[Loni Wolf]

12:10 AM on 04/13/2010

what about WALMART -they are the worst of the worst= 25% of full time wlamart employees (according to an internal memo of their own obtained by Walmart watch) are forced to obtain public assitance like medicaid or food stamps as opposed to 20% of the general population. How's THAT for corporate responsiblity? here is the link :www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/26walmart.pdf
It makes me ill.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

01:12 PM on 04/27/2010

". . .25% of full time wlamart employees (according to an internal memo of their own obtained by Walmart watch) are forced to obtain public assitance. . ." Oh come on now. They aren't "forced" to do that. They aren't even forced to work for Wommit, or to work at all. Everything they do is a choice.

[Loni Wolf]

03:56 PM on 04/27/2010

in many small towns where there are few employers & walmart has driven out small businesses , working for them isn't a real choice, it's the ONLY option.unless they want to drive 20 some miles, I know this because several cousins live in two of those tiny towns. Remember that until the late 80's Walmart did not evwen go to the Urban areas! they stuck to the rural and exurban populations .that had fewer options. -so don't go thinking that because YOU have a choice that other people do,.

[Callyson]

08:24 PM on 04/12/2010

What, Anthem Blue Cross did not crack the top 10? Not that the ones listed here don't deserve their ranking, but WTF more would Anthem have to do to make the list?
Wait--don't answer that. God forbid we should give Anthem executives any ideas...

[Loni Wolf]

03:06 AM on 05/19/2010

the reason they didn't crack the top 10 is that Anthem was just sold to Blue Cross by Well Point less than 12 months ago. My bet is that Mitchie Daniels, Indiana govenor ,will protect his contributors, by changing their tstud to non- profit, but ,with an important. twist, Watch for it VERY soon.

[Anne Ross]

11:08 PM on 04/09/2010

As long as the government and media continue to turn a blind eye to white collar crimes...these amoral practices will proliferate.

[Evansdale]

11:33 AM on 04/27/2010

yes they will!

[sixyfivepercentwater]

01:11 PM on 04/27/2010

"Amoral?" Why do you expect legal entitites to be moral?

[Jo Joshua Godfrey]

03:43 AM on 04/09/2010

CIGNA and UNITED HEALTHCARE are a must for this list as far as I am concerned

[virtuoussandra]

12:32 AM on 04/08/2010

CITI MORTGAGE is the worst company to do business with. Today I spoke with an employee from Sanjiv Das office regarding complaints I filed that I was being retaliated against for not getting modification help after losing my job. I was reduced to uncontrollable sobbing, I pleaded and begged Allen Andrew to please help me and not take my home I've been in for 10yrs (first 5 yrs I was NEVER late with Centex and Chase) like I've never begged a human being in my life as I did with this individual. I was told I could not even make payment arrangements and there's no FHA programs to help me, but get a job. I lost my job while I was out on a medical leave due to stress from Citi .
It took a lot of praying, I just wanted to sleep and not wake up. This person heard me sobbing. and told me that "I did not want to do this with him and he was getting off the phone". Some may say "it's just a house", but this is my home that I've been in for the last 10yrs and I did not buy more than I could afford, I just need an AFFORDABLE MODIFICATION. I became 8mos past due mostly due to Citi using up my time and say I did not have enough unemployment benefits left or took them 2mos to send me a denial letter that was constantly requested and per Treasury/HUD compliance.

[Reyeshawk]

11:44 PM on 04/07/2010

I wonder how many people know CitiGroup owns Primerica, which they have treated like a cash cow for years. Now that they can't get as much milk, they're doing an IPO with all the funds going to Citi.

[hypnotoad72]

05:09 PM on 04/07/2010

Not just bailout funds:

'Garbage motors'. Long before the government saved them from their actions... such as these:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/02-0
http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/gm-offshore-out...
http://www.articlealley.com/article_193949_31.html
http://www.manufacturing-today.com/content/view/806/81 /
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2005/...
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2004-0...

June 2009, May 2009, 2007, 2005, 2005, 2003 respectively.
(since then, more has come out about GM continuing the same old games. Why reward that economic cannibalism too?)

[lcarothers]

03:47 PM on 04/07/2010

What about Walmart?
How did they stay OFF the 10 MOST HATED?
I hold them responsible for the massive loss in manufacturiing jobs the last 20 years. Their growth has depended on buying NON AMERICAN products. The discount hits us in other ways, employees are paid so little many qualify for food stamps and Medicaid for their children.
The CEO of Walmarts bonus would operate a 3rd world countries budget.
Sure, the prices are low, Walmart pays pennies for each item. - manufacturing is one of the biggest job losses we have had in the last 2 decades. These losses could be stopped if everyone would start reading the country of product manufacture AND origin. Buy American, get pride back into our work and vocabulary.
The United States of America will never again be strong, if we cannot take care of ourselves. Manufacture our own goods, farm our own food, and, alternative forms of energy. Teach our children the value of a days work for a days wages. Our children must stop making the mistakes we have been -depending on other countries for their technology, food, and energy.
For goodness sake, you have to watch the Walmart store meat department - shipping in beef from Mexico? We don't have enough cattle here in the US? Or is it just less expensive to buy from Mexico?
This bad economy has given us a chance to change so many things are wrong - don't waste this time in history to correct our

[Bartel5]

09:47 AM on 04/08/2010

Consumers like walmart. I like walmart. Shop somewhere else if you don't like their model.

[haiku man]

11:35 PM on 04/08/2010

The reason you like Wal-Mart is because the middle class is now the lower class. You can't afford anything else.

[Loni Wolf]

01:13 PM on 05/19/2010

You will be working for the Chinese and so will your kids & grandkids if you continue to shop at Walmart. Mark my words. We are shoring up their economy at the expense of of our own, so you can save 10 cents on a jar of peanut butter or buy a cheap t-shirt for $5. Start learning Mandarin. It's not an easy language. .

[DavePotts]

06:30 PM on 04/08/2010

But, but... that would mean American consumers would have to think about the fact that they're part of the problem. Where does convenience fit in there, huh?

[pjwrites]

03:22 PM on 04/07/2010

Some of these "corporations" are gse's (AIG, Fannie and Freddie), although you could say they all are since they received TARP, except Delta.

[mervr1]

03:17 PM on 04/07/2010

Add Wells Fargo to the list!!

[noneck]

10:38 AM on 04/07/2010

I have never owned a foreign automobile in my lifetime which expands upon many years of driving. In 2006 I purchased a new Buick Lucerne which was manufactured in Michigan. One day I decided to check the spare tire for air and upon uncovering it, lo and behold, imprinted on the tire were the words made in china. Well, that is going to be the last car that I purchase made in this country. Automobiles manufactured in the good old U.S.A. should never contain foreign parts, especially from china. Those parts are nothing but junk and most are manufactured from scrap materials. Also, I went for a dental cleaning at my dentist's and the sample bag that they gave me had a tooth brush that was made in china, I wonder how much lead it contains. The tooth brush was colgate, the same company sells their toothpaste brand which comes from mexico. Put those products in your mouth and you could wind up with some sort of chemical poisoning. Check your labels!

[ProComputer]

03:53 PM on 04/16/2010

Buddy, I wish you luck finding products fully Made In America. Even the Space Shuttle and Boeing aircraft have many "foreign" parts; many made in China. Consider that while air traveling.

[babalouie1]

10:37 AM on 04/07/2010

I hate ARAMARK