America's Most Loved and Most Hated Companies

Goldman Sachs may need to work on its image. This year, the firm beat recall-riddled General Motors along with Koch Industries and BP for the dubious distinction of worst corporate reputation, according to a new poll. Market research firm Harris Poll on Wednesday, Feb. 4, published its 16th annual ranking of the 100 most visible companies in the U.S., sorted by how positively the general public viewed them, and Goldman landed at the bottom.

Harris Poll surveyed 27,278 people to generate its list (pdf) of America's most- and least-loved corporations. Wegmans, a Rochester (N.Y.) grocer whose fans write love letters to its stores, claimed first place, followed by Amazon, Samsung, Costco, and Johnson & Johnson. Halliburton, Monsanto, Dish Network, and AIG were near the bottom of the list.