Newsweek and Statista recognized five Alabama-based companies for earning strong public confidence among customers, employees and investors nationwide.
Trust has become one of the rarest commodities in modern American life.
Confidence in government has eroded. Faith in media remains fractured. Public institutions Americans once viewed as stable now face growing skepticism and division.
Yet amid that uncertainty, several Alabama companies are earning something increasingly difficult to obtain: public confidence.
A new national ranking from Newsweek and global market research firm Statista recognized five Alabama-based companies among the “Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2026,” a list measuring confidence among customers, employees and investors across the country.
Among the Alabama companies recognized were Dothan-based Construction Partners, which ranked No. 4 nationally in the construction category, Birmingham-based Alabama Power, ranked No. 8 in energy and utilities, along with AMN Healthcare, Hibbett and QVC, all headquartered in Birmingham.
Four of the five companies recognized are based in Birmingham, reinforcing the city’s continued role as Alabama’s leading corporate and economic center.
The rankings evaluated 700 companies across 23 industries using an independent survey of approximately 25,000 Americans who submitted more than 100,000 company evaluations. Researchers also reviewed broader public sentiment and online media analysis as part of the scoring process.
According to Newsweek, companies involved in major recent scandals or lawsuits tied directly to trust-related issues were excluded from consideration.
For years, Alabama’s economic story has centered on recruitment — attracting auto plants, aerospace investment, manufacturing expansion, and large-scale industrial projects. Those efforts transformed parts of the state economy and helped position Alabama as a major manufacturing center in the South.
But rankings like this suggest another evolution may also be underway.
Alabama companies are not simply building products, generating power, operating retail chains or expanding infrastructure projects. Some are building reputations that extend well beyond Alabama’s borders.
The recognition of Construction Partners reflects Alabama’s growing presence in infrastructure and transportation development as public and private investment continues flowing into roads, bridges and construction projects nationwide.
Meanwhile, Alabama Power remains one of the state’s most influential corporate institutions, helping drive economic development efforts and industrial recruitment throughout Alabama for decades.
The inclusion of Hibbett and QVC also highlights Birmingham’s continued importance as a regional retail and distribution hub, while AMN Healthcare represents Alabama’s growing footprint in healthcare and professional services.
Alabama is often viewed nationally through statistics tied to poverty, healthcare struggles, political division or education challenges.
Stories like this offer reflect Alabama companies competing successfully in a national economy where reputation, reliability and public confidence increasingly shape long-term success.
In many ways, the rankings reflect a broader shift taking place across American business and society.
Consumers increasingly want more than products and quarterly earnings.
They want institutions they believe will operate responsibly, treat employees fairly, serve customers well, and remain stable in an increasingly unstable world.
And according to this year’s rankings, several Alabama companies are earning that trust on a national stage.
