investment

Google”s $82 Million Airport !!!

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Google’s grip on Silicon Valley is about to stretch even further.
The search giant has proposed building an $82 million private airport for executive travel at Mineta San Jose International Airport, reports the local SF Bay Area CBS affiliate.
There is a very strong chance the offer will be accepted.
The 29 acre airport proposal is facilitated by Signature, a San Jose-based company that currently handles Google’s private jets.
Signature’s proposal will develop the west side of the airport under a 50-year lease.
Further specifics detail a 17,000-square-foot terminal, a 33,000-square-foot building for offices and retail shops, a 66,000-square-foot hangar, 18.5 acres for aircraft parking, and a 300-space car parking lot, according to NBC Bay Area.
William Sherry, the San Jose director of Aviation, along with four other evaluators gave Signature’s plan a 991 out of 1,000 rating. Officials liked the plan because of the likelihood to create jobs and additional revenues for the airport and the city’s General Fund.

source:::::businessinsider.com
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Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-private-airport-san-jose-2013-2#ixzz2KU7BFI3a

From Garage To Global Top Companies Today…

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 These are among world biggest business entities which every entrepreneur dreams about. Most of us have an idea that to set up business, venture capitalists, big-money consultants and a beautiful office are must. Here we sum up  few companies which started in a small garage and today are among top companies in the world listed by getentrepreneurial.com.

source::::::siliconindia net..

 

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Harley Davidson
It all started when two childhood friends William Harley and Arthur Davidson were fascinated towards a motor bike from a Milwaukee garage. They began to work upon the motor bike but realized that the engine was very much underperforming. They decided to build an engine on their own and that was the historic moment when Harley Davidson invented their first motor bike. Today Harley Davidson is among the best motor bike brand company in the world.
 Dell
While attending the University of Texas in 1984, Michael Dell established the company as PCs Limited. The way to the success that Dell now enjoys started with an idea and only $1,000 investment. Initial operations of Dell’s company executed from Dell’s dorm room, until he resolute to leave college to run his company full time basis. In 1985, the company generated the first computer of its own design, and by 1988 had an IPO that treasured the company at nearly $80 million.
 Amazon
Amazon.com is at present the largest online book selling company. Jeff Bezos initially commenced the business in his garage. It started with marketing books through internet and skyrocketed as an online corporation that sells a varied list of products such as computers and other electronic items. Though the firm has undergone two legal suits but still continues to rise high and maintain the position to be the “world’s largest bookstore”.
. HP
In 1939, two electrical engineering Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, graduates from Stanford, established an electronics manufacturing company in a one-car garage in Palo Alto,
With a total investment of $538, the duo founded the Hewlett-Packard Company, famously called HP. They commenced with developing a few electronic devices and later come into the PC market in 1966. Till date, Hewlett Packard is best known not only for its first-rated electronics and distinctive company culture -“The HP Way”, but also for its corporate social accountability in retrieving billions of pounds of electronics, toner and ink cartridges.
 Google
On September 7, 1998, a company opened its door in Menlo Park, CA. The door came with a remote control, as it was connected to the garage of a friend who sublet space to the new corporation’s staff of three, which is how Google Inc. was commenced. Today Google is a colloquial term also often used as a common verb in our daily life. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin moved out of the dorm, officially included the Google name, and ended raising $1 million from a few investors.
For the five months Google worked out of Wojcicki’s garage, Page and Brin exchanged between trifling with their search engine’s now famous algorithm, soaking in the hot tub, and raiding the refrigerator for midnight snacks, a custom that may have stimulated Google’s free-food policy for all its employees.
Apple
Nearly all remember the sight in Forest Gump when he explains that he never has to be troubled about money again because of his investment in the fruit company called “Apple.” This is the scenario with all most all the investors of Apple Inc. Apple commenced in the garage of a young man called Steve Wozniack. Wozniack and his long time friend Steve Jobs were very mush interested to build a computer on their own.
In 1976; both approached a local electronics store to see if they would be interested in buying a personal computer that Wozniack had built. The next very moment they got an order of 50 computers. Though both Wozniack and Steve were out of cash, but then managed to convince few electronic dealers to deal on a credit basis. Apple has established to be the company that creates the industry standard time and time again. The journey from the garage of Steve Wozniack to being ranked 103 on the Fortune 500, Apple persists to grow more and more.

” Ugly Indian ” Look Projected by Indian Companies Abroad….Why ?

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Article by T N Ninan: The ‘Ugly Indian’? IN Business Standard…

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Companies get into all manner of scrapes in the crony-capitalist business environment at home, but continue doing business, whereas the consequences in another country are quite different

Most people in India have assumed that the Maldives is guilty of breach of contract in the case of the Malé airport, and GMR the victim. But is there another side to the story? The contract was a revenue-sharing arrangement (one per cent till 2014, 10 per cent after that; also 15 per cent and 27 per cent revenue share on fuel). The contract allowed GMR to charge an airport development fee (users of Delhi airport, also run by GMR, will be familiar with this issue). The issue went to court in Malé, which in late 2011 struck down the fee as illegal. The Maldives then allowed GMR to set off its revenue share against the fee that might have been collected. The consequences became clear in the first quarter of 2012, when a revenue share for the Maldives of $8.7 million was reduced to $0.5 million after setting off the airport fee. By the second quarter, the Maldives instead of receiving revenue share was asked to pay $1.5 million; the bill climbed further in the third quarter, totalling $3.5 million. The new Maldives government feared that, far from receiving an expected $1 billion, it might end up paying massive sums to GMR over the 25-year period of the contract, extendable by 10 years. Abrogation of the agreement followed. Readers will see parallels with the Enron/Dabhol case, where Maharashtra was in the position of the Maldives government: stuck with a contract that would ruin the state, but faced with severe penalties if it walked away. India eventually paid a price for throwing out Enron, and that may well be the fate awaiting the Maldives. Where should our sympathies lie?

Cut to another case. Back in 2011, Pankaj Oswal was riding high; his company inWestern Australia was supremely profitable, and he and his wife set up an extravagant home outside Perth that got a lot of press attention. Soon, however, the headlines became negative; there were allegations of money being siphoned out of Burrup Fertiliser to privately held firms in Singapore, and Burrup went into receivership. Mr Oswal and his wife left Australia and their fancy home outside Perth, and are said to be in Dubai or Singapore.
The question to be asked, as more and more Indian businessmen invest overseas, is whether we are risking the birth of the “ Ugly Indian”. Lakshmi Mittal’s problems in France, where the French government has threatened to nationalise a unit of ArcelorMittal, would seem to have more to do with the vagaries of French politics. But there is also the case of Jindal Steel and Power(JSP), which had to exit Bolivia in May. JSP had made headlines in 2007 by bagging the world’s largest untapped iron ore mine, and agreeing to set up a steel plant in Bolivia. Amid a welter of charges and counter-charges, a new Bolivian government said the company had not fulfilled its investment targets, while it said the government had not provided it with the required natural gas for fuel. End of project, no steel plant and no iron ore.
In both Bolivia and the Maldives, there was a change of government before contracts were cancelled. France too has seen a change of tune after the François Hollande government assumed office. India has its own history of throwing out companies after a change of government — Coca-Cola and IBMafter the Janata came to power in 1977; Enron after the Shiv Sena government took charge in Maharashtra in 1995. Now the boot is on the other foot, and poses tricky challenges for Indian diplomacy (should the government automatically back Indian companies?), as well as for India’s entrepreneurs. Companies get into all manner of scrapes in the crony-capitalist business environment at home (Jindal in the coalgate affair, GMR over the Delhi airport), but continue doing business; the consequences in another country are quite different, and also on a wider plane.

Beyond Apple, 9 Most Valuable Companies in the History!!!!!

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source:::: yahoo finance…

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For most of the people, the phrase “most valuable company” always reminds of Apple, the Cupertino tech giant who hit $623 billion valuation on August.Many referred to it as the history’s most valuable company. But it ignited a debate over why people don’t consider inflation while evaluating the companies. The fact is, if you look back into history, Apple doesn’t even make it into the top five, as there werecompanies which had hit as high as $7.4 trillion in valuation, when adjusted to inflation.

Here are history’s most valuable companies, compiled by Yahoo Finance.

#9 Exxon-Mobil in 2007
Value then: $513.3 billion
Adjusted to 2012: $572.9 billion

Exxon-Mobil, the American multinational oil and gas corporation was formed on November 30, 1999. It is still the world’s largest company by revenue. At its peak in 2007, Exxon Mobil’s reserves were 72 billion oil-equivalent barrels. With refineries in 21 countries, it is also the largest refiner in the world.

With the subsided oil prices and also the market deflections, the company now stands at a value of $401.77 billion.
#8 Apple in August 2012
Value then: $661.6 billion
Adjusted to 2012: $661.6 billion

The anticipated launch of a new iPhone, coupled with rumors of a smaller iPad and a feature-rich Apple TV had lifted Cupertino tech giant’s stocks and the valuation to $661.6 billion in August this year. The company which was valued at less than $10 billion as in 2004 and at $100 billion just three years ago grew unstoppable with its iPhone business.

The company presently has the highest market capitalization in the world. However, its stock has sunk 15 percent since September and is now valuated at $554 billion.

#7 Microsoft in 1999
Value then: $620.6 billion
Adjusted to 2012: $851 billion

Microsoft might be the one existing tech company which fell from glory to gloom in a matter of 10 years. Microsoft reigned the market from licensing deals with the computing giants especially IBM, where the company earned money for every machine they sold.

But the failure to adapt quickly into a mobile and Smartphone centric world had hurt the software giant and is now hoping for a bright future with its latest OS and debut in hardware.

The company is currently valued at $226.82 Billion.

#6 PetroChina in 2007
Value then: $1 trillion
Adjusted to 2012: $1.12 trillion

PetroChina, founded in 1999 is China’s biggest oil producer. It is the most profitable company in Asia. It entered trading following the announcement of stock issue in Shanghai in November 2007. The first-day valuations of stock fuelled by investor speculations over growth made it world’s first trillion dollar company.

However, the share values later retreated to normal levels and the company is now valuated at $233.68 Billion.

#5 IBM in 1967
Value then: $193 billion
Adjusted to 2012: $1.3 trillion

The International Business Machines Corporation, which always ran ahead of its competitors with innovations, was the first company from tech sector to mark its valuation above trillion dollars in this list. At its peak times, the company had developed deep relations with government organizations including NASA, delivering them cutting edge computing power.

Subsequently the company sold off its PC business and is now focusing more on enterprise and also technology services. It is now valuated at $216 billion.

#4 Saudi Aramco in 2012
Value today: U.S. $3.6 trillion
Adjusted to 2012: $3.6 trillion

It turns out that one of the world’s most valuable company is not even listed on a stock exchange. Saudi Aramco or officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company owns the world’s largest oil field. The company manages over 100 oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia. Presently, the company tops all the largest lists in the world. It is estimated to worth $781 billion in 2005 and according to the present estimation by University of Texas finance professor Sheridan Titman, it is worth $3.6 trillion.

#3 The South Sea Company in 1720
Value then: 200 Million British Pound
Adjusted to 2012: $4 trillion

The South Sea Company was a British joint-stock company founded in 1711, created as a public-private partnership to consolidate and reduce the cost of national debt. The company’s share values rose on the speculations over future business growth, which never happened, as the government pulled its strings.

Subsequently, in 1720, investors realized the truth and the share values crashed. The company was later resolved in mid- 19th century.


 

#2 The Mississippi Company in 1720
Value then: 300 million British Pounds
Adjusted to 2012: $6 trillion

The Mississippi Company or the Company of the West was founded in 1684 to facilitate trade with the then-New World. John Law, controller of the French National Bank, was named the Chief Director of this new company, which was granted a trade monopoly of the West Indies and North America by the French government. The company’s stocks shoot up twentyfold, fuelled by the value speculations and an effective marketing scheme.

However, the “bubble” burst at the end of 1720 and the company collapsed. Law was dismissed from his positions and the company was declared bankrupt. He then fled France for Venice.

#1 The Dutch East India Company in 1637
Value then: 78 million Dutch Guilders
Adjusted to 2012: $7.4 trillion

The Dutch East India Company is considered to be the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was established as a chartered company in 1602, where it is given the monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia.

The company eclipsed all of its rivals in the Asia trade and enjoyed huge profits from its spice monopoly through most of the 17th century.

However, corruptions in the late 18th century combined with turmoil in the trade made the Company go bankrupt and was formally dissolved in 1800.

 

 

SIX MONEY MYTHS…..

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SOURCE:::::SILICON INDIA NET

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Money is the most loved possession. You want money and hence you work hard to earn it. And if you have a huge bank balance, then what do you do with it? Either you save or spend. Something which you often do is spending it over things which you feel are benefiting you. If you feel that all your decisions are always right then just compare them with the 6 money myths which will show whether you make financial mistakes or not, as reported by Allison Kade from Learrvest.com.

Falling for Flash “Sale” Sites

The word “sale” always brings a happy smile on your face. It makes you feel that you can buy a very costly thing at a very affordable price. You also think these sale offer are best for people who are price conscious. For example if a shoe of 1200 is available at 950 then you will be attracted to buy it. What if the offer is for limited period then will you wait? No not exactly and you will make an immediate purchase as you think waiting would be a waste of time and opportunity. This is where you actually go wrong because here you spend money then you intend to.

Buying Cheap Stuff

Goods which are less costly will always have more number of buyers. It will not be very surprising if you find yourself being one of them. Before you buy something then don’t only consider its price but also its quality especially when you intend to use it for a longer period. You can use this easy rule of thumb to calculate the cost per use. For example, compare buying a pair of shoe of 200, which can wear maximum for 40 days, this will cost you 5 per wear. Now consider buying a pair of shoe of 600 which you can easily wear for nearly 200 days, this will cost you 3 per wear.

Choosing Junk Food

Are you a junk food lover? Even if you say no but then your poor health condition provides a good evidence of the truth. Fast food easily attracts you because it’s cheaper and tastier than plain healthy food products. Fast foods have always remained the main cause of obesity. Choosing Samosa, chats, golgappa, vada pav……may make you spend little, but in the long run can cause serious health issues like diabetes and heart disease. Always remember an ounce spend in prevention is better than a pound spend in cure. Your health is of major concerns so don’t exploit it over short term gains if not in future to correct your health conditions you will be spending lakhs.

Hanging Onto Your Retirement Payments

Even if you feel your retirement is a far off tale, but are you prepared for it. Don’t think if you put in your money in some retirement plan then you are making anadditional expenditure that’s why you can keep forgoing it. It is advisable to start on with early saving as say, if you start investing with a smaller amount of 2,000 a month at 20, you will accumulate 1.26 crore by the time you are 60 (at 10 percent rate of interest). If, on the other hand, you start saving the same amount at 30, you will be able to pile up only 65 lakh.

Skipping Insurance

Insurance is not a negative term and stop running away, it’s not meant to harm you. It doesn’t matter how many times you have said no to the insurance agents and have skipped the insurance policy. All that matters is you and your financial security, and you can protect both by signing in for some insurance policy, as by choosing a health insurance or car insurance policy will safeguard of sudden and bigger expenditure which you will be find difficult to arrange from monthly salaries whensome unpleasant situations arises unexpectedly.

Forgoing Lawyer Fees

It’s very important to keep your legal documents up-to-date. When you are alive you don’t think of your death and preparing a will never occurs in your mind. Forgoing lawyer’s fee today may help you save some money but later when you will pass away then your children and other dependents will have to spend thousands together in court fees.

WARREN BUFFET”S BRILLIANT INVESTMENT INSIGHTS…….

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SOURCE:::::SILICON INDIA SITE ON FINANCE ….

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Warren Buffet or ‘The Sage of Omaha’ is one of the richest men in the world. He is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. Buffett’s speeches are known for mixing business discussions with humor.

 

Each year, Buffett presides over Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting in the Qwest Center in Omaha. Berkshire’s annual reports and letters to shareholders, prepared by Buffett, frequently receive coverage by the financial media.

 

His words reflect his attitude and mind-set towards money which made him eminent in the world. Here are few brilliant and inspirational investment insights from the legendary Buffet which will make you reorganize your mind-set towards the way you handle your money.

 

“Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Don’t forget rule No. 1”

 
“I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.”

 

“Never invest in a business you cannot understand.”

“Chains of habits are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”

“Enjoy your work and work for whom you admire.”

“A great investment opportunity occurs when a marvelous business encounters a one-time huge, but solvable problem.”

“I never buy anything unless I can fill out on a piece of paper my reasons. I may be wrong, but I would know the answer to that.”

“It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”

“The business schools reward complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.”

“Anything can happen in stock markets and you ought to conduct your affairs so that if the most extraordinary events happen, that you’re still around to play the next day.”

“I don’t measure my life by the money I’ve made. Other people might, but certainly don’t.”

“If at first you do succeed, quit trying on investing.”

“Turnarounds seldom turn.”

“I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.”

“Always invest for the long term.”

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”

“Buy a business, don’t rent stocks.”

“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

“The fact that people will be full of greed, fear or folly is predictable. The sequence is not predictable.”

“Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.”

“Our favorite holding period is forever.”

“I really like my life. I’ve arranged my life so that I can do what I want.”

“I buy expensive suits. They just look cheap on me.”

“I am a better investor because I am a businessman and a better businessman because I am an investor.”

“I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for ten years.

“I try to buy stock in businesses that are so wonderful that an idiot can run them. Because sooner or later, one will.”

“Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.”

“Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can’t buy what is popular and do well.”

“Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”

“The Stock Market is designed to transfer money from the Active to the Patient.”

“We don’t get paid for activity, just for being right. As to how long we’ll wait, we’ll wait indefinitely.”

“Risk can be greatly reduced by concentrating on only a few holdings.”

“Never count on making a good sale. Have the purchase price be so attractive that even a mediocre sale gives good results.”

“In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.”

 

“The investor of today does not profit from yesterday’s growth.”

“You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.”

“In a commodity business, it’s very hard to be smarter than your dumbest competitor.”

“Investors making purchases in an overheated market need to recognize that it may often take an extended period for the value of even an outstanding company to catch up with the price they paid.”

“A hyperactive stock market is the pickpocket of enterprise.”

“Valuing a business is part art and part science.”

“Chains of habits are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”

“In a commodity business, it’s very hard to be smarter than your dumbest competitor.”

“A hyperactive stock market is the pickpocket of enterprise.”

“Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.”

“Valuing a business is part art and part science.”