Facebook Valuation Tops $200 Billion Vs Google $400 Billion

    With the stock closing at $77.89 per share, the company is now valued at $201.6 billion, making it the 22ndlargest company in the world, ahead of Toyota Motor Corporation and just behind Verizon Communications, a Bloomberg report noted.
   Facebook’s stock price has risen dramatically while its revenue, estimated at $12.2 billion in 2014, are but a fraction of more established companies. Compare this with Verizon, which has over $100 billion in 2013 sales and is a relative value. The estimated 2014 price earnings ratio for Facebook is 48, representing a high stock price relative to the stock earnings. Verizon Communications Inc. , by comparison, is estimated at just under 14.  By comparison to a major tech name that has significantly diversified its revenue stream, Google Inc 

Apple World’s Most Valuable Brand

Apple (AAPL) has unseated Coca-Cola as the world’s No. 1 brand, as the company founded by Steve Jobs is a leader in design and performance, according to a study of the Top 100 brands by Interbrand Corp.
     Apple Inc.’s brand value jumped 28 percent to $98.3 billion and Google Inc. (GOOG)’s rose in second place at $93.3 billion. The Coca-Cola Co. name slipped from the top spot after 13 years to third place at $79.2 billion.
     Samsung, which has gained prominence through consumer electronics and Android phones, rose from ninth to eight place with a 20 percent brand value in increase. That let it trade positions with Intel, which dropped 5 percent from the 2012 list.

Interbrand also calls out the companies whose brand value is rising fastest. There, Facebook came out on top, with a 43 percent increase in brand value over the last year. It ranks 52 on the overall 2013 list, up from 69th place in 2012.

Toyota beats BMW By Brand Value

       Japanese giant car maker Toyota successfully overtook BMW in a new ranking as a car manufacturer with the highest value. In the new annual ranking, the Japanese brand managed to surpass BMW by the whiskers as ‘Most Valuable Global Auto Brand’ maker. While Toyota is worth USD24, 5 billion in terms of brand value, BMW is worth USD24 billion.

       This year so far, the value of Audi, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai have seen double-digit increases compared with last year, mainly due to increased demand in China and the US, according to the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study.

       This year, Toyota’s brand value was up 12% to $24.5 billion, mainly due to the new models introduced in the hybrid market. As Peter Walshe, Millward Brown global brand director put it, “Toyota is carving out a very big position in hybrids across its range, which is tapping into the consumer need for value by saving fuel cost.“

       Its hybrids are reinforcing the experience of the brand, and in so doing, Toyota continues to magnify what is special and different about it.” On the other side, BMW’s value dropped 2% to $24 billion, due to the automaker’s lack of new models introductions in the past years, compared with Toyota.

       Toyota got a very high position in the world of hybrid cars. Toyota able to take advantage from consumers needs with fuel save costs, “said Peter Walshe, Millward Brown global brand director, told Automotive News. While BMW value dropped two percent to USD24 billion. BMW considered less introduced new models in recent years than the Toyota.

BMW had received first place in 2010 and 2012. Meanwhile, Toyota became the top in 2006 and 2009 and in 2011. Mercedes-Benz was the third among auto brands this year (43rd overall), with an 11 percent increase to $18 billion in brand value, while Audi saw its brand value rise 18 percent to $5.5 billion thanks to strong demand in the U.S. and China for luxury cars, the study said. Audi didn’t rank in the top 100 brands, however.

The fourth automaker was Honda (71st overall), with its brand value estimated at $12.4 billion, with Nissan coming in 5th (86th overall) at $10.2 billion. VW was 6th (100th overall), with $8.8 billion. Ford, Audi, Hyundai and Lexus completed the top 10 auto brands, but none of them ranked in the Top 100.

       BusinessDay motoring checks reveal that the automotive brands that grew the most were the ones that launched the most models and BMW remains a very powerful and distinctive brand.” Below shows world’s most valuable car brands in $billion; rank in top global 100; % value change from 2012. Toyota $24.5 (23) +12, BMW $24.0 (24) -2, Mercedes $18.0 (43) +11, Honda $12.4 (71) -2, Nissan $10.2 (86) +3, VW $8.8 3 (100) +3, Ford $7.6 +8, Audi $5.5 +18,Hyundai $4.0 +11 and Lexus $3.5 +2.

Current Score card

(1) Toyota USD24, 5 billion, (2) BMW USD24 billion, (3) Mercedes-Benz USD18 billion, (4) Honda USD12, 4 billion, (5) Nissan USD10, 2 billion, (6) VW $ 8, 8 billion, (7) Ford’s $ 7, 6 billion, (8) Audi USD5, 5 billion (9) Hyundai USD4, 0 billion, (10) Lexus USD3, 5 billion.

Apple Sells Record 9 Million

           Apple Inc. (AAPL) sold a record 9 million iPhones in the weekend debut of two new models, as the company included China in the rollout and consumers snapped up handsets with more colorful options and a fingerprint reader.

           Apple’s shares rose 5 percent, the biggest jump since July, as sales exceeded even the loftiest analysts’ projections of less than 8 million. Apple’s most important product, the iPhone accounts for half of revenue. The company has seen sales and profit growth slow and has ceded some of the $280 billion smartphone market to Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) and other rivals.

          The phones were also available for the first time on NTT DoCoMo Inc. (9437), Japan’s largest wireless network. Apple didn’t break out iPhone sales by model or region.

           The iPhone 5s proved most popular with the initial rush of customers. In a Piper Jaffray survey of 416 people waiting in line, 95 percent were going to buy that model, which has an improved camera, fingerprint reader and faster processor. It comes in three color variations -- black/gray, white/silver and white/gold -- and costs $199 to $399 in the U.S. with a two-year wireless contract. On EBay Inc. (EBAY)’s website, gold models were selling for well over $1,000

Microsoft Q4 earning

Microsoft's net income fell to $3.05 billion, or 34 cents a share, from $4.3 billion, or 46 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 17% to $13.1 billion, below the Thomson Reuters estimate of $14.37 billion. Full year net at $14.6bn.

Ford Motor Co. swings to 2Q profit

Ford Motor said it had second-quarter net income of $2.3 billion, or 69 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $8.7 billion, or $3.89 per share, a year ago. That was the company’s worst-ever quarterly result.Ford’s second-quarter revenue declined 40 percent, to $27.2 billion from $41.1 billion a year earlier.Ford’s North American operations had a pre-tax loss of $851 million, compared with a loss of $1.3 billion a year ago. The loss, the company said, was cut primarily by structural spending cuts and improved market share. The unit’s second-quarter revenue was $10.8 billion, compared with $14.2 billion a year earlier.