WITH FACEBOOK AGAIN THE FOCUS of acquisition rumors--this time with Microsoft and Google in the suitor seat--observers are asking anew about the site's value. Well, the posh social network is profitable, will post a positive EBITA, and will do well over $100 million in revenue this year, according to Jim Breyer, managing partner of venture capital firm Accel Partners--one of Facebook's biggest investors along with Greylock Partners and Meritech Capital Partners.
Breyer, also a Facebook board member, made those statements at the Fortune iMeme in San Francisco on Friday, as reported by Barron's Online and picked up by PaidContent.
Referring to Facebook's precocious CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Breyer was reported to say: "In this case, neither of us wants to sell."
"There are huge disadvantages right now around the hype," Breyer said, alluding to the intense pressure Facebook has been under ever since Yahoo emerged as a possible buyer last year.
What could convince Facebook to sell? "Part of it is always price," Breyer admitted.
Facebook has grown three times as fast as MySpace in the past year, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Seeing a massive influx of first-timers, Facebook U.S. visitor numbers reached 26.6 million in May--up a full 89% year-over-year and 3.6 million more than in April, according to comScore. Worldwide, comScore reported, Facebook reached 47.2 million visitors in May--8.4 million more than in April, and with an average of 20.6 visits per user.
According to major research companies, Facebook's fortunes will only improve as inventory on social sites switches from remnant ads provided by ad networks to more lucrative rich media and video ads.
"Today, inventory on social sites is fulfilled largely through ad networks and contextual advertising, but as they mature, they will begin to use tactics such as behavioral targeting that allow for better monetization of their inventory," Jupiter Media analyst Emily Riley said in a recent report.
Industrywide, eMarketer estimated earlier this year that social ad spending will reach $865 million this year, and grow to $2.2 billion in 2010.
Still, just two months ago analysts and industry watchers went on record saying Facebook had missed the boat by failing to reach a reported $1 billion deal with Yahoo. "They're not going to see that kind of money again," Riley said at an industry event in May. "Boy, did [Zuckerberg] miss a big opportunity," mused David Rittenhouse, group planning director at neo@Ogilvy, at the same event.
Link to MediaPost Article
No comments:
Post a Comment