Facebook (FB, Financial) controls the world’s most dominant social networking platforms, Facebook and Instagram. The company’s unprecedented global reach and infamous ad-targeting capabilities have made Facebook one of the most sought after and effective advertising platforms ever created. More recently, a considerable amount of negative press has surrounded the company, as has happened occasionally in the past. Facebook’s business has repeatedly withstood these historical setbacks, due in part to its superior products, powerful network effect and track record of out-innovating, replicating or acquiring its would-be competitors. Without ascribing value to the company’s non-earning assets, which include messaging platforms WhatsApp and Messenger (among others), Facebook is trading at less than 15x next year’s earnings (excluding net cash), a discount to the S&P 500 Index. This is a very attractive valuation for a company that is projected to grow its revenue well in excess of 20% for the foreseeable future. We believe that Facebook’s normalized operating margin is substantially higher than what it reports, as the company continues to invest heavily in a variety of growth initiatives.
From Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio)'s first quarter 2018 Oakmark Fund commentary.
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