America's Most Valuable Brands: A Look at the Top 15

The cumulative value of the top 500 brands in the United States is more than $2.5 trillion, according to Brand Finance's annual report. The top 15 most valuable brands in America are worth over $750 billion, with Apple holding the top spot as the world's most valuable brand for the fourth year in a row. The technology sector is the most valuable, with 22% of the top 500 brands being tech companies. Twitter and Facebook were the biggest "tech winners," with their brand values increasing by 185% and 146%, respectively, from 2014 to 2015.

Key Takeaways:

• Apple is the world's most valuable brand, with a brand value of $128.3 billion, up 23% from 2014 to 2015.
• Google is the second most valuable brand, with a brand value of $76.7 billion, up 12% from 2014 to 2015.
• Microsoft is the third most valuable brand, with a brand value of $67.1 billion, up 7% from 2014 to 2015.
• Technology is the most valuable sector, with 22% of the top 500 brands being tech companies.
• Twitter and Facebook are the biggest "tech winners," with their brand values increasing by 185% and 146%, respectively, from 2014 to 2015.
• Brand Finance analyzed over 2,000 business and consumer brands in the U.S. across 16 sectors to create its 2015 Billion Dollar Brands Club list.
• The top 15 brands are worth over $750 billion, with all of them being worth more than $25 billion.
• Intel is the 15th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $25 billion, up 9% from 2014 to 2015.
• Coca-Cola is the 9th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $35.8 billion, up 6% from 2014 to 2015.
• Amazon is the 6th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $56.1 billion, up 24% from 2014 to 2015.
• Wal-Mart is the 8th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $46.7 billion, up 4% from 2014 to 2015.
• Wells Fargo is the 11th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $34.9 billion, up 15% from 2014 to 2015.
• AT&T is the 5th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $58.8 billion, up 30% from 2014 to 2015.
• Verizon is the 4th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $59.8 billion, up 12% from 2014 to 2015.
• General Electric is the 7th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $48 billion, down 9% from 2014 to 2015.
• Bank of America is the 14th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $25.7 billion, down 4% from 2014 to 2015.
• Citi is the 13th most valuable brand, with a brand value of $26.2 billion, up 7% from 2014 to 2015.

Statistics:

• The cumulative value of the top 500 brands in the U.S. is more than $2.5 trillion.
• The top 15 most valuable brands are worth over $750 billion.
• The top 500 brands in the U.S. include 22% tech companies.
• Twitter's brand value increased by 185% from 2014 to 2015.
• Facebook's brand value increased by 146% from 2014 to 2015.
• Apple's brand value increased by 23% from 2014 to 2015.
• Google's brand value increased by 12% from 2014 to 2015.
• Microsoft's brand value increased by 7% from 2014 to 2015.
• Intel's brand value increased by 9% from 2014 to 2015.
• Coca-Cola's brand value increased by 6% from 2014 to 2015.
• Amazon's brand value increased by 24% from 2014 to 2015.
• Wal-Mart's brand value increased by 4% from 2014 to 2015.
• Wells Fargo's brand value increased by 15% from 2014 to 2015.
• AT&T's brand value increased by 30% from 2014 to 2015.
• Verizon's brand value increased by 12% from 2014 to 2015.
• General Electric's brand value decreased by 9% from 2014 to 2015.
• Bank of America's brand value decreased by 4% from 2014 to 2015.
• Citi's brand value increased by 7% from 2014 to 2015.

Sources:

• Brand Finance's 2015 Billion Dollar Brands Club list
• http://www.brandfinance.com/
• http://www.thestreet.com/
• http://www.wsj.com/
• http://www.nytimes.com/
• http://www.forbes.com/
• http://www.bizjournals.com/
• http://www.prnewswire.com/
• http://venturebeat.com/
• http://www.usatoday.com/
• http://www.thestreet.com/story/13165126/1/3-high-yield-low-risk-dividend-stocks-for-extreme-safety.html