Interbrand, a global brand consultancy, released its annual Best Global Brands report on Monday, with Apple and Google clinging to the top two spots for the third year running.
The analysis valued Apple to have a total valuation of over $170 billion this year with a 43 percent increase in its brand value from 2014. This was driven by strong sales performance and financial growth. Google on the other hand ranks second, has a total valuation of more than $120 billion with a 12 percent increase in its brand value, according to the study.
Other high placing technology firms on the list include Microsoft (No. 4), IBM (No.5), Samsung (No.7), Amazon (No.10), Intel (No.14), Cisco (No.15), Oracle (No.16), HP (No.18), Facebook (No.23), eBay (No.32), PayPal (No.97), and Lenovo (No.100). This has left Coca-Cola and McDonald’s as the only non-tech companies to be listed in the Top 10.
Interbrand, a New York-based consultancy helps companies manage their brands, ranks companies annually according to its assessment. The study, which is in its 16th year, determines a company’s valuation on the basis of its economic profit, a brand’s ability to influence consumer behavior, customer loyalty and its strength and role in the global marketplace that provides a contrast to the market’s valuations of the companies.
Included in this year’s list for the first time are companies such as PC maker Lenovo, payments company PayPal and Danish toy creator Lego. Lego has experienced good fortunes this year, jumping straight to No. 82 due to the major licensing deals with Star Wars and Jurassic World.
Amazon and Facebook have particularly been successful over the past year, with their valuations jumping by 29 percent and 54 percent respectively. This places Seattle-based Amazon to No. 10 on the list, and the social network climbed the rankings from 29 to 23.
Microsoft was slightly better this year, switching positions with IBM to claim fourth place with an 11 percent increase in its valuation. While, Samsung remained at No. 7 in spite of the company’s steadily falling profits, which have declined consecutively for the last few quarters.
Lenovo is only the second Chinese company to be included in the list with phone and network equipment giant Huawei, which first entered the list in 2014. Huawei jumped to No. 88, with steadily growing global influence.
However, Japanese gaming giant Nintendo and Finnish tech firm Nokia fell out of the rankings altogether. Microsoft acquired Nokia’s smartphone business in 2013 and has since incorporated it into the company after casting off the Nokia branding.
