Harvard Business Review

JUNE 16, 2011

Interestingly, intangible assets are all the rage these days on Wall Street. Investors grapple daily in an effort to figure out how to value companies whose accounting assets — things like land, capital, products, and licenses — don't adequately express their true market value.

Intangible Assets 15

Intangible Assets Analysis Pharmaceuticals Innovation 15

Harvard Business Review

DECEMBER 21, 2016

Consider the dramatic shift in the types of assets that create market value. According to Ocean Tomo, a consulting firm focused on intellectual capital, physical assets (plant, property, and equipment) made up more than 80% of the market value of the S&P 500 in 1975. How much is changing?

Intangible Assets 8

Intangible Assets Business Model GAAP Budgeting 8

Harvard Business Review

JULY 18, 2017

An informed shareholder, who looks beyond earnings numbers and analyzes the company’s intangible assets, would notice that the firm has mortgaged its future. Gathering information on a firm’s intangible assets is costly, and so not worth doing if you own only a tiny bit of stock in a company.

Short-term 8

Short-term Intangible Assets Hedge Long-term 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 25, 2018

We focus on economic profit rather than revenue size, market share, or productivity growth because these other metrics risk including firms that are simply large and may not create economic value. Acquisitions, bold investment in intangible assets, and attracting talent can ultimately make the difference.

Industry 12

Industry Company GDP Bottom-up 12

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 22, 2016

Manufacturers invest most of their capital into physical assets, while high-tech firms invest in R&D to create new intellectual capital. But all assets are not created equal, especially as the technological landscape changes. The first step is to pinpoint your starting place.

Intangible Assets 10

Intangible Assets Business Model How To Intellectual Capital 10

Harvard Business Review

JULY 29, 2014

Break up a strategic function in response to underperformance in the wake of severe market disruptions? What would the capital markets look like today if a similar tack had been taken when the CFO role was ripe for transformation? Success demands a far more diverse set of experiences and skills. Bring on the quants.

CFO 11

CFO Charan Intangible Assets Human Resources 11

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

The health technology and technology services industries are creating highly scalable, and highly desirable, intangible assets. As we mentioned previously, physical assets have a number of drawbacks, compared to digital, intellectual, and relationship assets. Thus, they have low PPE but high multiples. Reallocate capital.

Company 8

Company Intangible Assets Business Model Supply Chain 8