Facebook Mobile has been rapidly expanding its reach, growing from 100 million users per month in February 2010 to 250 million users per month in March 2011. Should this type of growth continue, there could be upside to our intrinsic value estimate for Facebook, which we currently peg at $45.1 billion. Facebook competes with Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL in the text and display advertising market as well as the search advertising market.

Continue reading Facebook Value Could Rise on Mobile Usage

Facebook Value Could Rise on Mobile Usage originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Interpublic Discloses Its Stake in Facebook

Interpublic Discloses Its Stake in Facebook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook primarily competes with Google (GOOG), Yahoo! (YHOO), Microsoft (MSFT) and Aol (AOL) in the display and search advertising markets. Here we highlight three major revenue streams that contribute to Facebook's value.

We currently peg Facebook's intrinsic value at $45.1 billion.

Continue reading The 3 Most Important Revenue Streams for Facebook

The 3 Most Important Revenue Streams for Facebook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook primarily makes money through online advertising, both display and search advertising, in which it competes with Google (GOOG), Yahoo! (YHOO), Microsoft (MSFT) and Aol (AOL). However, it has started to tap other business lines as well, like distribution of virtual goods in games and applications.

Time Warner Offering Movies on Facebook Fan Page

Time Warner (TWX) recently announced that it will start offering movies for purchase or rental through Warner Brothers Entertainment's Facebook fan page, making it the first studio to do so. The users will make the purchase with Facebook Credits, a virtual currency. This is no doubt a good move by Time Warner as it gives the company a platform to tap the increasing base of users looking to consume traditional media entertainment online.

Continue reading Credit Facebook for New Time Warner Content Offering

Credit Facebook for New Time Warner Content Offering originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The sale of DVDs is going the way of the PC -- both have seen their market share dwindling. In a world of instant information, streaming videos are replacing DVDs. Last year, DVD sales fell by 43% to $7.8 billion from $13.7 billion in 2006, The Wall Street Journal reported.

There is another accompanying trend that reinforces streaming videos. Customers are spending more time online. Add the multiplier of time spent on social networks and it's streaming video hands down.

Continue reading Facebook Invades Netflix and RedBox's Turf

Facebook Invades Netflix and RedBox's Turf originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (GOOG), which competes with Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO), Aol (AOL) and Facebook in the search advertising market, has been working to increase its penetration in social networking. It started with Google's foray into social applications like Google Wave and Buzz, which did not meet initial expectations. Google then made a number of acquisitions for the development of its major upcoming social networking project named Google Me.

Continue reading Google's Efforts in Social Search Could Enhance Market Share

Google's Efforts in Social Search Could Enhance Market Share originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The U.S. online display advertising market saw a revival in 2010, with an estimated growth of 17% over 2009. Continued growth means greater competition amongst players like Yahoo! (YHOO), Facebook, Google (GOOG), Aol (AOL) and New York Times (NYT).

We currently maintain a $17.88 price estimate for Yahoo, in line with market price. Display advertising accounts for roughly 18% of Yahoo's stock value by our estimates.

Continue reading Gotta 'Like' Yahoo's Traffic and Stock Upside from Incorporation of Facebook Tools

Gotta 'Like' Yahoo's Traffic and Stock Upside from Incorporation of Facebook Tools originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Since 2006, the number of registered users on Facebook has seen near 100% annual growth. We estimate that the number of registered users has increased from around 10.5 million in 2006 to around 595 million in 2010 and has since continued its upward climb. From the time Facebook decided to allow any user above the age of 13 to create an account, the website's number of registered users has seen a meteoric rise.

Continue reading Outlook for Facebook User Growth

Outlook for Facebook User Growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Microsoft (MSFT) recently released its fiscal second-quarter results; we felt results were really quite strong, with solid gains in most segments and good cost discipline," says Geoffrey Seiler.

The editor of Bullmarket.com explains, "If these results were from another company, the stock likely would have gotten a lift. But Microsoft is the Rodney Dangerfield of companies: it doesn't get the respect it deserves.

"Microsoft reported net income of $6.63 billion, or 77 cents per share, compared with $6.66 billion, or 74 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Sales grew by 5% to $19.95 billion from $19.00 billion.

Continue reading Microsoft (MSFT): 'No Respect'

Microsoft (MSFT): 'No Respect' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There have been rumors for some time, fueled by occasional comments from News Corp., that the media giant's days of owning also-ran social network MySpace are numbered. News Corp. COO Chase Carey indicated that MySpace may be sold or spun out when he spoke on the company's earnings call on Feb. 2.

Buried in a line item of the News Corp. (NWS) fiscal second-quarter earnings release were the results of MySpace, under the category of "Other." The description of the segment was: "The Other segment reported a second-quarter operating loss of $156 million, which is $31 million greater than the prior year. This decline was primarily due to increased losses at the Digital Media Group, stemming largely from lower search and advertising revenues at MySpace."

Continue reading Is News Corp. Saying Goodbye to MySpace?

Is News Corp. Saying Goodbye to MySpace? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One of these days, Facebook is likely to go public. But how much could its shares be worth in an initial public offering? The numbers are all over the place. From Bloomberg's estimate late last year that it was worth $25 billion to Fortune's estimate last August of $50 billion. Now, there is another report from a financial research firm, Trefis, that pegs the value at $45 billion today -- but potentially as much as $125 billion, if a few things go right.

One of the things that could go right, is coming up a with a new way to generate revenue -- and Facebook says it has a plan. It's called "sponsored stories." The company plans to pull content out of members' status updates for use in advertisements that will appear in their friends' Facebook pages.

Continue reading Facebook's 'Sponsored Stories' Turns Your Updates into Ads

Facebook's 'Sponsored Stories' Turns Your Updates into Ads originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a successful stint at PayPal, Reid Hoffman started LinkedIn in 2002. He did it from his living room.

Now LinkedIn is the largest social networking site for business. And yes, the company has filed to go public. The lead managers on the deal include Morgan Stanley (MS), Bank of America (BAC) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).

Continue reading LinkedIn's Next Contact: The IPO Market

LinkedIn's Next Contact: The IPO Market originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yahoo is still trying to play catch up. Helped by cost cuts, Yahoo! (YHOO) posted late Tuesday fourth quarter income of $312 million, or 24 cents a share, more than double last year's income of $153 million, or 11 cents a share, according to the Wall Street Journal. Revenue fell 12% to $1.53 billion from $1.73 billion.

Net revenue, which excludes commissions paid to partners, fell 4% in the quarter to $1.22 billion from $1.26 billion in the year ago period. Excluding the Microsoft (MSFT) impact and certain divestitures, revenue grew by 2% in the quarter.

Continue reading Yahoo! Still Trying to Play Catch Up

Yahoo! Still Trying to Play Catch Up originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A key to the success of Goldman Sachs (GS) has been its ability to anticipate major trends. For example, it did this during the 1980s by providing protection against hostile takeovers. Of course, then there was the move to proprietary trading.

However, in light of the Obama regulations, Goldman has had to make another major shift. In fact, it looks like the firm is going back to its roots of providing top-notch advice on public offerings and M&A.

Continue reading Goldman Just Says 'No' To U.S. Facebook Investors

Goldman Just Says 'No' To U.S. Facebook Investors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading MySpace Cuts Workforce by 47%

MySpace Cuts Workforce by 47% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For most people in their mid-twenties, a typical New Year's resolution would be to lose some weight or even find a job. But for Facebook's mastermind, Mark Zuckerberg, the goals are certainly more cosmic. How about start the year with a $500 million investment that has a valuation of $50 billion? Yes, it's hard to top that.

Then again, Facebook is a game-changer in the same league as eBay (EBAY) or Google (GOOG). And investors are clamoring to get a piece of the action.

Continue reading Is Goldman Angling for a Facebook IPO?

Is Goldman Angling for a Facebook IPO? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The world of Internet traffic moves at lightning speed. So, too, do the moods and preferences of users. Back in 2007, News Corp's (NWS) MySpace was No. 1. Google.com (GOOG) took the No. 1 spot in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Facebook has taken the No. 1 spot, with 8.9% of U.S. visits, edging Google.com, which had 7.2% of visits, Reuters reported, citing online measurement service Experian Hitwise.

Facebook was started by Mark Zuckerberg and a few classmates in 2004. Facebook users can create profiles with photos, lists of personal interests, contact details and other information. Users can communicate with friends and other users through private or public messages and a chat feature. They can also join interest groups and "like pages."

Continue reading Facebook Edges Google as Most Visited Site in the U.S.

Facebook Edges Google as Most Visited Site in the U.S. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Can Apple (AAPL) do no wrong? The company recently ventured into one of the toughest areas of the Internet: social networking. Even top-notch companies like Google (GOOG) have stumbled in the space.

But in less than 48 hours, Apple's new social-music platform, Ping, has attracted a million users. If you annualize this, the company will have 180 million users, giving Facebook some competition.

Continue reading Apple's Ping Zooms to One Million Users

Apple's Ping Zooms to One Million Users originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple's (AAPL) new iTunes-based social networking service, Ping, has gotten off to a somewhat rocky start. The service allows iTunes users to see what others like and to recommend music.

But within 24 hours of Ping's launch it was inundated with comment spam. While Apple filters Ping for other offensive material, it apparently forgot about such spam, an obvious oversight.

Continue reading Apple's Ping Gets Off to a Rocky Start

Apple's Ping Gets Off to a Rocky Start originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (GOOG) has gone ga-ga over social-networking acquisitions, with deals for Slide, Like.com, Metaweb and Jambool. Desperately trying to go beyond its advertising business, the company sees big-time growth opportunities in the sector. However, Google is late to the game -- and its home-grown efforts have been lackluster, such as Buzz, Google Wave and Orkut.

Well, the latest social networking deal for Google is a tiny startup, Angstro. Actually, it's not a social network. Instead, the company has a system to pull information from various sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and so on. With this, Angstro can do things like improve Caller ID, as well as create a real-time social address book.

Continue reading Google Buys Angstro to Boost Its Social Networking Ambitions

Google Buys Angstro to Boost Its Social Networking Ambitions originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.