Internet‑based
companies revolutionized business by connecting with consumers and end users
through the Internet. Such companies generate revenue through online sales,
fees on online financial transactions, online searches accompanied by paid
advertising, online advertising, social media accompanied by paid advertising,
fees on online services , and charges for cloud
computing .
We have compiled
a list of the top 10 Internet-based companies. All are listed on stock
exchanges. We used the current-day market cap to rank the companies.
Google : The internet search giant is the world
leader in search, contextual advertising, and other online offerings. NASDAQ‑listed
Google has a market cap of $345 billion. In 2013, its total revenue was $59.85
billion.Alibaba :
NYSE‑listed Alibaba made headlines in 2014 when its initial public offering
(IPO) became the largest ever IPO in the world. The Chinese ecommerce giant has
a market cap of $272.29 billion. In 2013, its pre-IPO filing revenue was $1.75 billion.Facebook (FB):
NASDAQ‑listed Facebook is the world’s most popular social networking site. In
October 2014, it acquired WhatsApp for a whopping $19 billion and has also made
many other relatively smaller acquisitions. Facebook reported a total revenue of $7.87 billion in 2013. Its market
cap stands at $213 billion.Amazon :
Nasdaq‑listed Amazon launched in 1995 as an online bookseller and has since
diversified to become the largest U.S. Internet-based retailer of all things.
In 2013, it reported $74.452 billion in revenue. It has a market cap of $138.7
billion.Tencent Holdings: Based in China and listed on the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Tencent is not yet a well-known name outside of Asia.
There, it has significant presence in apps, online games, advertising, and
messaging services like WeChat, which is similar to WhatsApp and has millions
of users. Its 2013, its revenues stood at CNY 59.815 billion (approx. $9.6
billion in U.S. dollars). It has a market cap of $132 billion U.S. dollars.
Baidu : While Google is the world leader in online search, it has limited reach in China where Baidu is the number one search engine. Baidu offers maps, news, videos, an encyclopedia, anti-virus software, and Internet TV. It is listed in the Cayman Islands and is known to restrict search results to comply with Chinese laws and political directives.. It has a market cap of $78.52 billion and 2013 revenues of $5.277 billion.Ebay : Nasdaq-listed Ebay offers a global online marketplace for individuals and small businesses to sell directly to consumers through set‑price listings or auctions. Its present-day market cap is $70.38 billion. In 2013, its total revenues were $16 billion.Priceline : Priceline is the online travel company offering hotel room reservations, rental car reservations, airline tickets, safaris, cruises, and other travel services through priceline.com, booking.com andagoda.com. It has a market cap of $56.33 billion. In 2013, its total revenueswere $6.8 billionYahoo!: A veteran of the first tech boom of the 1990s, Yahoo! still competes with Google and newer Internet companies in some categories. It offers digital content and a variety of services through its online portals including its search engine, Yahoo! Homes, and Yahoo! Finance. It has a market cap of $47.65 billion. In 2013, its total revenues were $4.68 billion.Salesforce.com: This giant in enterprise cloud computing and social enterprise solutions is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It has a market cap of $36 billion. In 2013, its total revenues were $4.07 billion.
Baidu : While Google is the world leader in online search, it has limited reach in China where Baidu is the number one search engine. Baidu offers maps, news, videos, an encyclopedia, anti-virus software, and Internet TV. It is listed in the Cayman Islands and is known to restrict search results to comply with Chinese laws and political directives.. It has a market cap of $78.52 billion and 2013 revenues of $5.277 billion.Ebay : Nasdaq-listed Ebay offers a global online marketplace for individuals and small businesses to sell directly to consumers through set‑price listings or auctions. Its present-day market cap is $70.38 billion. In 2013, its total revenues were $16 billion.Priceline : Priceline is the online travel company offering hotel room reservations, rental car reservations, airline tickets, safaris, cruises, and other travel services through priceline.com, booking.com andagoda.com. It has a market cap of $56.33 billion. In 2013, its total revenueswere $6.8 billionYahoo!: A veteran of the first tech boom of the 1990s, Yahoo! still competes with Google and newer Internet companies in some categories. It offers digital content and a variety of services through its online portals including its search engine, Yahoo! Homes, and Yahoo! Finance. It has a market cap of $47.65 billion. In 2013, its total revenues were $4.68 billion.Salesforce.com: This giant in enterprise cloud computing and social enterprise solutions is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It has a market cap of $36 billion. In 2013, its total revenues were $4.07 billion.
The Bottom Line:
Internet
business is highly dynamic. Innovation and advances in technology mean that new
entrants can grow quickly and displace leading companies. Companies can also
surge and then quickly disappear. Some giant veterans continue to maintain top
slots, though maturing companies generally struggle to sustain innovation.
Investment in Internet companies can be risky .