Markets
The World’s 100 Most Valuable Brands in 2021
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The World’s Top 100 Most Valuable Brands in 2021
In 2020, the global economy experienced one of the worst declines since the Great Depression.
Yet, while the ripple effects of COVID-19 have thrown many businesses into disarray, some companies have not only managed to stay afloat amidst the chaos—they’ve thrived. Using data from Kantar BrandZ, this graphic looks at the top 100 most valuable brands of 2021.
Methodology
Each year, research group Kantar BrandZ ranks companies based on their “brand value,” which is measured by:
- A brand’s total financial value, which is the financial contribution that brand brings to its parent company ($ value).
- Multiplied by its proportional value, measured by the brands proportional impact on its parent company’s sales (% value).
The financial results are then combined with quantitative survey data, sourced from over 170,000 global consumers. The end result is a holistic look at a company’s brand equity, reputation, and ability to generate value.
The Leaderboard
The total value of 2021’s Top 100 brands grew by 42%, reaching a combined $7 trillion. At the top of the list, perhaps unsurprisingly, is Amazon, with a total brand value of $683 billion.
Rank | Brand | Brand Value ($B USD) | Category | Brand Value % change from 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Amazon | $683.85 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 64% |
2 | Apple | $612.00 | Technology | 74% |
3 | $458.00 | Media & Entertainment | 42% | |
4 | Microsoft | $410.27 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | 26% |
5 | Tencent | $240.93 | Media & Entertainment | 60% |
6 | $226.74 | Media & Entertainment | 54% | |
7 | Alibaba | $196.91 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 29% |
8 | Visa | $191.29 | Financial Services | 2% |
9 | McDonald's | $154.92 | Food & Beverages | 20% |
10 | Mastercard | $112.88 | Financial Services | 4% |
11 | Moutai | $109.33 | Food & Beverages | 103% |
12 | Nvidia | $104.76 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
13 | Verizon | $101.94 | Telecom Providers | 8% |
14 | AT&T | $100.65 | Telecom Providers | -5% |
15 | IBM | $91.34 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | 9% |
16 | Coca-Cola | $87.60 | Food & Beverages | 4% |
17 | Nike | $83.71 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 68% |
18 | $82.90 | Media & Entertainment | 100% | |
19 | PayPal | $80.62 | Payments | 66% |
20 | Adobe | $78.52 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
21 | Louis Vuitton | $75.73 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 46% |
22 | UPS | $73.02 | Logistics | 44% |
23 | Intel | $71.94 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
24 | Netflix | $71.13 | Media & Entertainment | 55% |
25 | The Home Depot | $70.52 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 22% |
26 | SAP | $69.24 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | 20% |
27 | Accenture | $64.73 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
28 | Oracle | $60.84 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
29 | Starbucks | $60.27 | Food & Beverages | 26% |
30 | Walmart | $59.52 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 30% |
31 | Xfinity | $59.00 | Telecom Providers | 26% |
32 | Marlboro | $57.01 | Consumer Goods & Retail | -2% |
33 | Disney | $55.22 | Media & Entertainment | 13% |
34 | Meituan | $52.40 | Technology | 119% |
35 | Texas Instruments | $49.24 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
36 | Salesforce | $48.98 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | 61% |
37 | Qualcomm | $48.36 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
38 | Spectrum | $47.28 | Telecom Providers | 10% |
39 | YouTube | $47.10 | Media & Entertainment | 39% |
40 | Chanel | $47.05 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 30% |
41 | Cisco | $46.82 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
42 | Samsung | $46.77 | Technology | 44% |
43 | Hermès | $46.40 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 40% |
44 | JD | $44.52 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 75% |
45 | TikTok | $43.52 | Media & Entertainment | 158% |
46 | Deutsche Telekom | $43.10 | Telecom Providers | 16% |
47 | Tesla | $42.61 | Cars & Transportation | 275% |
48 | L'Oréal Paris | $38.31 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 30% |
49 | Ping An | $38.05 | Insurance | 13% |
50 | Huawei | $38.02 | Technology | 29% |
51 | ICBC | $37.77 | Financial Services | -1% |
52 | Zoom | $36.93 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
53 | Intuit | $35.87 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
54 | $35.52 | Media & Entertainment | 19% | |
55 | Costco | $35.14 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 23% |
56 | Gucci | $33.84 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 24% |
57 | AMD | $32.92 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
58 | Tata Consulting Services | $31.28 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
59 | Xbox | $30.40 | Technology | 55% |
60 | Vodafone | $29.74 | Telecom Providers | 29% |
61 | American Express | $28.58 | Financial Services | -3% |
62 | Wells Fargo | $28.00 | Financial Services | -8% |
63 | RBC | $27.61 | Financial Services | 33% |
64 | Toyota | $26.97 | Cars & Transportation | -5% |
65 | Haier | $26.42 | Technology | 41% |
66 | HDFC Bank | $26.37 | Financial Services | 27% |
67 | Mercedes-Benz | $25.84 | Cars & Transportation | 21% |
68 | China Mobile | $25.82 | Telecom Providers | -25% |
69 | Budweiser | $25.55 | Food & Beverages | 5% |
70 | Xiaomi | $24.89 | Technology | 50% |
71 | BMW | $24.82 | Cars & Transportation | 21% |
72 | Dell Technologies | $24.78 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | 36% |
73 | LIC | $24.14 | Insurance | 38% |
74 | J.P. Morgan | $24.11 | Financial Services | 37% |
75 | Siemens | $23.64 | Conglomerate | 69% |
76 | Fedex | $23.59 | Logistics | 53% |
77 | Baidu | $23.36 | Media & Entertainment | 57% |
78 | Uber | $22.41 | Cars & Transportation | 41% |
79 | Adidas | $22.34 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 51% |
80 | Chase | $21.83 | Financial Services | 7% |
81 | Pinduoduo | $21.73 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 131% |
82 | Snapchat | $21.61 | Media & Entertainment | n/a |
83 | Zara | $21.38 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 0% |
84 | Ikea | $21.02 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 17% |
85 | UnitedHealthCare | $20.87 | Insurance | 32% |
86 | Lowe's | $20.67 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 51% |
87 | AIA | $20.60 | Insurance | 16% |
88 | NTT | $20.48 | Telecom Providers | 1% |
89 | Autodesk | $20.45 | Business Solutions & Tech Providers | n/a |
90 | TD | $20.21 | Financial Services | 17% |
91 | Orange | $20.20 | Telecom Providers | 4% |
92 | DHL | $20.14 | Logistics | 39% |
93 | Didi Chuxing | $20.04 | Cars & Transportation | 0% |
94 | China Construction Bank | $19.78 | Financial Services | -6% |
95 | Pampers | $19.62 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 6% |
96 | KE | $19.50 | Consumer Goods & Retail | n/a |
97 | Commonwealth Bank | $19.47 | Financial Services | 48% |
98 | Bank of America | $19.32 | Financial Services | 14% |
99 | Spotify | $19.28 | Media & Entertainment | n/a |
100 | Colgate | $18.89 | Consumer Goods & Retail | 8% |
It’s the third consecutive year that Amazon has placed first on the list. Since last year’s ranking, the ecommerce brand has seen its value grow by 64%. Keep in mind, this accounts for all areas of Amazon’s business, including its web and subscription services.
Second on the list is Apple with a brand value of $612 billion. Apple wasn’t completely immune to the impacts of COVID-19—in the early days of the pandemic, its stock dipped almost 19% from record highs—but the company recovered and reported record-breaking revenue, generating $64.7 billion in Q4 2020.
It’s fitting that the top brands on the list are big tech companies since the pandemic pushed consumers online for both their shopping and entertainment needs. A few social media platforms placed high on the list as well, like Facebook, which rose two ranks this year to score the sixth spot with a brand value of $227 billion.
Instagram and TikTok trailed behind Facebook when it came to total brand value, but both platforms saw exceptional growth compared to last year’s report. In fact, when looking at brand value growth from 2020, both brands scored a spot in the top 10.
Insights into Brand Value Growth
The most valuable brand report has been ranking companies for over a decade, and some overarching factors have stood out as key contributors to brand value growth:
1. The Big Get Bigger
Starting “strong” can give brands an edge. This is because growth rate is closely correlated with high brand equity. In other words, a strong brand will likely see more growth than a weaker brand, which might explain why companies like Amazon and Apple have been able to hold their place at the top for several consecutive years.
Keep in mind, this doesn’t account for industry disruptors. An innovative company could come out of the woodwork next year and give the Big Tech giants a run for their money.
2. Marketing Makes a Difference
The right strategy can make a difference, and even smaller brands can make a splash if the message is impactful. Brands with emotional associations, like pride or popularity, tend to see that translate into brand value growth.
Companies like Nike and Coca-Cola have mastered the art of emotional advertising. For instance, in May last year, Nike released a video urging consumers to stand up for equality, in a video titled, “For Once, Just Don’t Do It.”
3. Smart Investment
It’s not just about developing an effective marketing strategy, it’s about executing that strategy, and continually investing in ways that perpetuate your brand message.
For instance, innovation is the core value of Tesla’s brand, and the electric car company walks the walk—in 2020, the company spent $1.5 billion on R&D.
Markets
Beyond Big Names: The Case for Small- and Mid-Cap Stocks
Small- and mid-cap stocks have historically outperformed large caps. What are the opportunities and risks to consider?
Beyond Big Names: The Case for Small- and Mid-Cap Stocks
Over the last 35 years, small- and mid-cap stocks have outperformed large caps, making them an attractive choice for investors.
According to data from Yahoo Finance, from February 1989 to February 2024, large-cap stocks returned +1,664% versus +2,062% for small caps and +3,176% for mid caps.
This graphic, sponsored by New York Life Investments, explores their return potential along with the risks to consider.
Higher Historical Returns
If you made a $100 investment in baskets of small-, mid-, and large-cap stocks in February 1989, what would each grouping be worth today?
Small Caps | Mid Caps | Large Caps | |
---|---|---|---|
Starting value (February 1989) | $100 | $100 | $100 |
Ending value (February 2024) | $2,162 | $3,276 | $1,764 |
Source: Yahoo Finance (2024). Small caps, mid caps, and large caps are represented by the S&P 600, S&P 400, and S&P 500 respectively.
Mid caps delivered the strongest performance since 1989, generating 86% more than large caps.
This superior historical track record is likely the result of the unique position mid-cap companies find themselves in. Mid-cap firms have generally successfully navigated early stage growth and are typically well-funded relative to small caps. And yet they are more dynamic and nimble than large-cap companies, allowing them to respond quicker to the market cycle.
Small caps also outperformed over this timeframe. They earned 23% more than large caps.
Higher Volatility
However, higher historical returns of small- and mid-cap stocks came with increased risk. They both endured greater volatility than large caps.
Small Caps | Mid Caps | Large Caps | |
---|---|---|---|
Total Volatility | 18.9% | 17.4% | 14.8% |
Source: Yahoo Finance (2024). Small caps, mid caps, and large caps are represented by the S&P 600, S&P 400, and S&P 500 respectively.
Small-cap companies are typically earlier in their life cycle and tend to have thinner financial cushions to withstand periods of loss relative to large caps. As a result, they are usually the most volatile group followed by mid caps. Large-cap companies, as more mature and established players, exhibit the most stability in their stock prices.
Investing in small caps and mid caps requires a higher risk tolerance to withstand their price swings. For investors with longer time horizons who are capable of enduring higher risk, current market pricing strengthens the case for stocks of smaller companies.
Attractive Valuations
Large-cap stocks have historically high valuations, with their forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E ratio) trading above their 10-year average, according to analysis conducted by FactSet.
Conversely, the forward P/E ratios of small- and mid-cap stocks seem to be presenting a compelling entry point.
Small Caps/Large Caps | Mid Caps/Large Caps | |
---|---|---|
Relative Forward P/E Ratios | 0.71 | 0.75 |
Discount | 29% | 25% |
Source: Yardeni Research (2024). Small caps, mid caps, and large caps are represented by the S&P 600, S&P 400, and S&P 500 respectively.
Looking at both groups’ relative forward P/E ratios (small-cap P/E ratio divided by large-cap P/E ratio, and mid-cap P/E ratio divided by large-cap P/E ratio), small and mid caps are trading at their steepest discounts versus large caps since the early 2000s.
Discovering Small- and Mid-Cap Stocks
Growth-oriented investors looking to add equity exposure could consider incorporating small and mid caps into their portfolios.
With superior historical returns and relatively attractive valuations, small- and mid-cap stocks present a compelling opportunity for investors capable of tolerating greater volatility.
Explore more insights from New York Life Investments
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