Google down $100 billion since November! at Sam Stewart

Google fell to a 52 week low today of $409.68 before closing at $414.16. This is well below the $747.24 it reached last November.

To put this into perspective Google is worth approximately $100 billion less today than it was in early November 2007. This decline in value is the same as:

27 x Telecom NZ (New Zealand’s largest listed company)
2.5 x All of New Zealand’s listed equity
4 x Yahoo!
McDonalds + Yum! Brands (KFC and Pizza Hut) + Starbucks

Does anybody know what Google is really worth?

According to the 28 analysts aggregated by Yahoo! Finance Google’s target price is somewhere between $475 and $785 with a median of $617.50. I know valuation is a subjective exercise and everybody has their unique model and forecasts but this range is crazy. The difference between the top target price and bottom target price is nearly $100 billion of value (remember that is 4x Yahoo!).

I am the first to admit that I don’t how much Google is worth. Last year I thought Google was over valued at $600 but they climbed to $747.24. I think Google’s core search advertising business is great and still has growth potential but I think it is difficult to quantify the potential of opportunities in online video, the mobile web and the other areas Google is investing in.

In June Mark published a useful scenario analysis approach to Google’s valuation using Valuecruncher. You can create your own valuation of Google using Valuecruncher here. You have a pretty good chance of getting closer to Google’s value than at least half the analysts covered by Yahoo! Finance.

View the full GOOG chart at Wikinvest

Disclosure: I am a co-founder and shareholder in valuecruncher.com