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Houston falls on the Fortune 500 list: Boasts 23 companies, but Continental lossfelt

The new Fortune 500 list of the United States' top-grossing companies is out, and 23 Houston-based companies made it.

Wal-Mart Inc. topped the list as the top revenue-grosser with $421,849 million in revenue and $16,389 million in profit in 2010.

Houston metro area companies on the Fortune magazine list include (in reverse order): El Paso (No. 481 in the country), Spectra Energy (441), Targa Resources (416), Group 1 Automotive, Frontier Oil (389), EOG Resources (377), Cameron International (375), Calpine (349), Enbridge Energy Partners (309), Kinder Morgan (294), Centerpoint Energy (279), KBR (242), Anadarko Petroleum (223), Apache (206), National Oilwell Varco (202), Waste Management (196), Baker Hughes (170), Halliburton (144), Plains All American Pipeline (99), Enterprise Products Partners (80), Sysco (67), Marathon Oil (29) and ConocoPhillips (four).

Two energy companies with major Houston presence — ExxonMobil and Chevron — recorded profits this year that far outdid those of top revenue-earner Wal-Mart. ExxonMobil nearly doubled Wal-Mart's profits, taking in $30,460 million in profits. Still, it ranked second overall on the list.

The Houston area had 25 companies on last year's Fortune 500 list. Continental Airlines — which is no longer based in Houston — is one of the ones that fell off (since it has merged with United and is now based in Chicago). The other? CVR Energy, which ranked 472nd on Fortune's last list.ha

Within Houston companies in the top 100, ConocoPhillips regained some ground this year to jump two spots to No. 4, while Marathon Oil climbed from No. 41 to No. 29. Sysco dropped from No. 55 to No. 67, and Enterprise Products Partners moved up, from No. 92 to No. 80.

The number of Fortune 500 companies in Houston is a source of immense pride and is frequently used to advertise and promote the city. The Greater Houston Partnership touted that Houston had the third most Fortune 500 companies of any metro area in the U.S. on Fortune's last list (based on 2009 figures), behind only New York and Chicago.

Chicago gained a major new addition with Continental United coming in at 114th overall. But there is still plenty of good news. The Dallas metro area placed 18 companies on the Fortune 500, five less than Houston. Five San Antonio companies made the list and Texas boasts 51 of the 500 overall.

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Courtesy of Ninfa's

Shaquille O'Neal had lunch at Ninfa's Uptown.

Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, starting with a surprise visit — and big tip — from Shaq. Plus, Houston ranks among America's most overpriced cities, and rents rise in Sugar Land. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then find the best things to do this weekend here.

1. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. NBA Hall of Famer and media personality Shaquille O’Neal surprised the crowd at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown when he stopped by for lunch, posing for pics and leaving a very big tip.

2. Veteran Houston bartender shakes up the Heights with new tropical bar. The woman behind your favorite bartender’s favorite bar has quietly opened a new cocktail spot in the Heights. Called Berwick’s Birds of Paradise, it’s the latest project from Double Trouble owner Robin Berwick.

Berwick's Birds of Paradise bar Robin Berwick Owner Robin Berwick took inspiration from hotel bars for BBOP. Photo by Vivian Leba

3. Houston is one of America's most overpriced cities, study finds. In what may come as a surprise to some local residents, a new study ranks Houston among the 10 most overpriced cities in America.

4. This Houston suburb had the highest apartment rent prices in June. Apartment rent prices in June were more expensive in Sugar Land than anywhere else in Houston, according to the latest monthly rent report from Zumper.

5. Houston influencer opens an antiques-filled boutique hotel in Montrose. 109 Stratford Street in Historic East Avondale has recently opened as a nine-room boutique hotel, The Marlene Inn, from owner and Instagram influencer Lily Barfield.