According to a study by market-research agency Millward Brown, Apple (AAPL) ranks as the most valuable global brand in 2013.
Press Release: Apple remains No.1 in the BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands
Apple also held the top spot in the same study in 2012.
Four of the top ten are technology companies.
The Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands
1 Apple
2 Google (GOOG)
3 IBM (IBM)
4 McDonald's (MCD)
5 Coca-Cola (KO)
6 AT&T (T)
7 Microsoft (MSFT)
8 Marlboro (PM and MO)
9 Visa (V)
10 China Mobile (CHL)
According to the study, Apple's brand value stands at $ 185 billion. Well, I happen to think it rather unlikely brand value could ever be pinned down that precisely.
Still, the study is a useful way to get an idea what brands matter around the world and how -- in at least a rough sense -- their value might be changing.
BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2013
As far as the remainder of the top 100:
At number 11 overall, General Electric (GE) ranks the highest among conglomerates.
At number 13, Wells Fargo (WFC) is the highest ranked regional bank.
At number 14, Amazon.com (AMZN) is the highest ranked retailer.
At number 15, UPS (UPS) is the highest ranked in logistics.
At number 23, Toyota (TM) is the highest ranked automobile manufacturer.
At number 25, HSBC (HBC) is the highest ranked global bank.
At number 26, Disney (DIS) is the highest ranked in entertainment.
At number 29, Louis Vuitton (LVMUY) is highest ranked in luxury.
At number 32, Pampers (PG) is the highest ranked in baby care.
At number 34, Budweiser (BUD) is the highest ranked in beer.
At number 35, Zara is the highest ranked in apparel.
At number 39, ExxonMobil (XOM) is the highest ranked in oil and gas.
At number 45, Gillette (Also PG) is the highest ranked in personal care.
At number 57, China Life (LFC) is the highest ranked in insurance.
At number 73, Moutai is the highest ranked in alcoholic beverages.
Page 135 of the complete report explains their valuation methodology.
BrandZ™ is the only brand valuation tool that peels away all of the financial and other components of brand value and gets to the core—how much brand alone contributes to corporate value. This core, which we call Brand Contribution, differentiates BrandZ™.
Millward Brown estimates the total value of the top 100 brands is $ 2.6 trillion -- a 7 percent increase compared to last year.
The value of the top 100 brands increased 77% between 2006 and 2013.
This is the eighth year of the report.
Adam
Established long positions in AAPL, GOOG, KO, MSFT, PM, MO, GE, WFC, and PG at much lower than recent prices.
---
This site does not provide investing recommendations as that comes down to individual circumstances. Instead, it is for generalized informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. Visitors should always do their own research and consult, as needed, with a financial adviser that's familiar with the individual circumstances before making any investment decisions. Bottom line: The opinions found here should never be considered specific individualized investment advice and never a recommendation to buy or sell anything.