Costco Dethrones Amazon as America's Most Trusted Company

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – March 11, 2026 – In a year defined by widespread financial anxiety and uncertainty over artificial intelligence, Americans have placed their trust in a familiar purveyor of value and consistency: Costco. The warehouse club giant has officially unseated Amazon as the most trusted and liked company in the United States, according to the 2026 U.S. Fortune 30 reputation ranking released by stakeholder intelligence platform Caliber.

The annual report, which gauges public perception of the nation's largest companies, reveals a significant shift in the corporate trust landscape. While Costco climbed to the top spot, it was joined by The Home Depot and UPS in the top three, signaling a broader trend where tangible value and reliable service are winning over the public's hearts and minds. The findings paint a clear picture of a populace grappling with rising costs, prioritizing companies that offer stability and a straightforward value proposition.

In Value We Trust: A New Corporate Mandate

Costco's ascent to the pinnacle of corporate reputation, with its Trust & Like Score (TLS) rising from 78 to 79, is particularly noteworthy in a year that battered the retail sector with tariff-induced cost increases. The company's success appears rooted in its unwavering commitment to its core business model: offering quality goods at low prices, a strategy that deeply resonates with consumers feeling the pinch of inflation.

According to Caliber's research, the rising cost of living was the single most dominant issue for people worldwide in 2025, a sentiment that directly influenced consumer behavior and corporate perception. This economic pressure has seemingly created a new mandate for corporations: demonstrate tangible value or risk losing public faith.

"Costco’s rise to the top of the list likely reflects its commitment to putting its values into action and maintaining great customer experience in 2025, even as tariffs rocked the retail sector," said Shahar Silbershatz, CEO of Caliber, in the report's press release.

This trend extends beyond just Costco. The top ten is heavily populated by household names in retail and logistics, including Lowe’s, Kroger, and Walmart, reinforcing the idea that in times of uncertainty, consumers gravitate towards brands they perceive as dependable and essential. These companies have managed to maintain a strong connection with the public by focusing on fundamental business practices rather than chasing fleeting trends.

A Tale of Two Retailers: The Peril of Inconsistent Values

The 2026 ranking provides a stark case study in the power of corporate consistency through the diverging paths of Costco and its rival, Target. While Costco was celebrated for adhering to its values, Target suffered one of the most significant reputational declines, its TLS plummeting three points from 72 to 69.

Caliber directly links this drop to the intense consumer backlash and negative press Target faced in 2025 after it walked back significant Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments. The company's decision to terminate its REACH initiative—a program designed to support Black employees, shoppers, and business owners—sparked widespread criticism and calls for boycotts, with many accusing the retailer of abandoning its stated principles.

Silbershatz commented on the contrast, stating, "Whereas Costco saw a rise in its reputation because business decisions continued to match the company’s stated values, Target faced significant consumer backlash and negative press after walking back the DEI commitments it had established as foundational to its mission and values."

The fallout for Target serves as a potent reminder of the fragility of reputation in an era of heightened social awareness and corporate scrutiny. The report suggests that for today's stakeholders, authenticity is paramount, and any perceived hypocrisy between a company's marketing and its actions can lead to a swift and severe loss of trust. FedEx and Tesla also saw their scores drop by three points, indicating a volatile year for several major brands.

Tech's Trust Deficit and the Specter of AI

While traditional retailers solidified their standing, the bottom of the reputation ranking was populated by giants from the technology and telecom sectors. Comcast, Meta, and Tesla anchored the list, holding the bottom three spots and highlighting a growing disconnect between Silicon Valley's priorities and the public's concerns.

Tesla, in particular, continues its precipitous fall from grace. After being named the "biggest faller" in the 2024 report with a nine-point drop, its score declined another three points in 2025, landing it at a dismal 50. This sustained erosion of trust suggests deep-seated issues that go beyond a single event or news cycle.

Compounding the challenges for tech companies is the rise of what Caliber terms "AI anxiety." Following the cost of living, artificial intelligence was the second-most cited global issue shaping public perception in 2025. While companies are racing to integrate AI into their products and services, the public remains skeptical. Research from other sources in 2025 showed a divided public, with a significant portion more concerned than excited about AI's proliferation and a declining confidence in the ethical practices of the companies developing it. This undercurrent of mistrust may be contributing to the reputational struggles of tech-forward brands.

Measuring What Matters: The Trust & Like Score

The foundation of Caliber's annual ranking is its proprietary Trust & Like Score (TLS), a metric designed to quantify the emotional connection people have with a company. The score is not based on complex financial analysis but on the average of public responses to two simple yet powerful statements: "[Company] is a company I like" and "[Company] is a company I trust."

This year's results are based on an extensive dataset of 30,028 evaluations collected continuously throughout 2025 from a representative sample of the U.S. population. This real-time tracking allows the platform to capture shifts in public sentiment as they happen, providing a dynamic view of corporate reputation. By focusing on the fundamental pillars of trust and affection, Caliber argues its methodology offers a clear predictor of stakeholder behavior—from consumer purchasing decisions to employee loyalty—providing a vital barometer for corporate health in an increasingly complex world.