Facebook's Value Surpasses $300 Billion

One day after announcing its profit figures for the third quarter of this year, Facebook's value reached $306.4 billion, surpassing General Electric in the ranking of major American companies. According to NBC News, Facebook reported on Wednesday that it had total sales of $4.5 billion in the third quarter, with approximately $890 million in net profit. Facebook, which claims to have over one billion daily users, is now ranked sixth among major companies in terms of financial value. The company's stock price has increased by about 40% in 2015. If Facebook continues its rapid growth, it is likely to quickly surpass Amazon, which is currently ranked sixth. The USA Today newspaper also states that the rapid growth of Facebook's financial value is truly remarkable. The company has managed to completely dispel doubts about its continued success that were raised during its stock sale in 2012. In the months following Facebook's stock offering, its price decreased somewhat, but since then, it has been on a continuous upward trend. The company's stock price was $38 in 2012, but today it has reached about $108, representing a 186% increase over three years. However, market speculation is not without influence. For a company expected to grow by about 30% next year, the stock price may increase artificially and exaggeratedly. The truth is that Facebook has become a money-making machine. Over the past 12 months, the company's revenue has been about $16 billion, with $2.8 billion in net profit. It is expected that Facebook's revenue growth will continue, and some financial institutions predict that next year, Facebook's profit margin from its total revenue will increase from 22% to about 30%. All these advancements primarily mean more wealth for Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. Since 2012, the value of his personal shares in Facebook has increased by about $30 billion, now reaching $46.4 billion. According to available statistics, the ranking of major American companies by financial value is as follows: Apple with an approximate value of $674 billion in first place, Alphabet (Google) with an approximate value of $523 billion in second place, Microsoft with an approximate value of $434 billion in third place, Exxon Mobil with an approximate value of $353 billion in fourth place, Berkshire Hathaway with an approximate value of $336 billion in fifth place, Amazon with an approximate value of $307 billion in sixth place, Facebook with an approximate value of $306 billion in seventh place, General Electric with an approximate value of $299 billion in eighth place, CNN with an approximate value of $283 billion in ninth place, and Wells Fargo with an approximate value of $280 billion in tenth place.