An Apple Worth $39.3 Billion
Apple has surpassed Microsoft, IBM, Walmart and GE in brand value within the past year, according to Brand Finance.
The London-based consulting firm estimates the monetary value of Apple's brand at $39.3 billion, up from $29.5 billion earlier this year and $19.8 billion last year.
Apple is just behind Google, which is now listed with abrand value of $48.3 billion, up from $44.3 billion earlier this year. Microsoft lost almost $4 billion to $39.0 billion, IBM dropped slightly to $36.0 billion, Walmart dropped to $35.0 billion and GE to $29.1 billion. Other tech companies among the Top 30 brands are AT&T in 7th place with $28.3 billion, HP (#11) with $25.0 billion, Intel (#14) with $23.5 billion), Amazon (#15) with $20.9 billion and Comcast (#30) with $11.8 billion.
Overall the value of the Top 100 brands have fallen by about 2.4 percent, Brand Finance said. However, brand valuations carry a great deal of perception value as well. For example, BrandZ estimated Apple's brand value at $153.3 billion earlier this year.

I find it funny how Intel is half of Apple's value... I wonder what Apple would be doing without their CPUs. Or nVidia's graphics. Or Foxconn boards. Or... etc. Have you noticed how readily Apple supports the myth of their uniqueness, trying to avoid mentioning hardware specs as much as possible? Many people seriously DO think that Apple makes their own hardware, and they're wrong.
Sadly, they also think that market value and brand value equals to the quality and uniqueness of the company's products. Good advertisement, though.
This isn't the value of the company. Just their brand name. IE if Apple wished to sale the apple logo/name. Currently bill gates, due mostly to his Microsoft stock, is worth 53 billion which is more than Apple's brand is worth.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/09/worlds-richest-people-slim-gates-buffett-billionaires-2010-intro.html
Here is the 10 richest companies in the world and Microsoft nor Apple is in the list.
http://exploredia.com/10-richest-companies-in-the-world-2011/
I find it funny how Intel is half of Apple's value... I wonder what Apple would be doing without their CPUs. Or nVidia's graphics. Or Foxconn boards. Or... etc. Have you noticed how readily Apple supports the myth of their uniqueness, trying to avoid mentioning hardware specs as much as possible? Many people seriously DO think that Apple makes their own hardware, and they're wrong.
Sadly, they also think that market value and brand value equals to the quality and uniqueness of the company's products. Good advertisement, though.
This isn't the value of the company. Just their brand name. IE if Apple wished to sale the apple logo/name. Currently bill gates, due mostly to his Microsoft stock, is worth 53 billion which is more than Apple's brand is worth.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/09/worlds-richest-people-slim-gates-buffett-billionaires-2010-intro.html
Here is the 10 richest companies in the world and Microsoft nor Apple is in the list.
http://exploredia.com/10-richest-companies-in-the-world-2011/
As someone else mentioned, they're referring to brand valuation only...however in terms of overall valuation, it's still way, way off the mark. Anyone that legitimately believes Apple has a higher valuation than Exxon Mobil is an idiot. Apple is a fad brand that makes consumer toys. In order to maintain revenue they have to continue to make new toys that people want to buy and I doubt their capacity to do so long term.
As an owner of several Macs over the years and various PC branded computers during my life like Dell and HP I can say the Macs are they most reliable in hardware and stable OS.
Here we go again... flame away!
As an owner of several FS/Asus branded computers, I can say the same about them. Never a hardware failure, never a software failure (except when I caused it, lol). In other words, GTFO troll.
Are they worth that? No...
Shows how many people are completely unaware of how much of your online activity is being tracked by Google and stored in their databases.
O.o Walmart is bigger then any oil company? amazing.
However if you have a great study bring it.
But every argument that works on one side also must be pondered on the other side. If for Apple will be difficult or impossible to continue creating the "new toys" for years so it will be hard for everyone else. Apple also has been hated when they were one the poorest computer companies. At those times haters were saying Apple would disappear in six month or so but that was 10 years ago.
So, they are having a great time now. The best I can say is save the negative feelings and do something great with that energy on your own life.
What I really dislike today has to do with some of our "current" values as individuals and as a society. But I can't blame Apple alone for that.
here comes the malware....mac users won't know they have it because there is no software to warn them, lol.....yesssss
Very true. Eventually the Apple "style" will die, it's only a matter of time. When that day comes they won't be able to get by on their brand name alone. Then they'll really start having to prove themselves in market. To be honest, I think they are perfectly capable of doing so.
And even though I am not a fan of Apple's products (with the exception of their Macbook Pro line), I'll continue to welcome them into the market. Competition is good, it's what drives the industry forward.
Agreed. The reason I make the claim that their valuation is ridiculous is that we have Apple with a higher valuation than established companies like Exxon Mobil, Coca Cola, etc. that have essentially been doing the same thing for a very, very long time. Exxon Mobile doesn't have to worry about product life cycles, changing consumer sentiment, or creating the 'next big thing'. Apple has failed many times in the past and will eventually fail on a product in the future (like any company that makes consumer electronics), so when there are claims that it's the most valuable company, I have to scoff.