Chuck, I know that you're a value guy, and that's fine. There's a place in every portfolio for the kind of stable but unexciting returns espoused by the Inside Value team, of which you are a part. But on the other side of the same coin, there's growth. I'm a Rule Breaker through and through, and I can see Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) bending the advertising universe into interesting new shapes, with stunning results. That kind of visionary leadership is worth a bit of a premium, because you can tell just by looking at the business plan that this company will basically be printing its own money in just a few short years.
As for the slate of smaller but equally profitable companies presented by my worthy adversary, they truly represent the cream of the crop. Out of 74 companies traded on the major U.S. exchanges with a market cap between $20 billion and $30 billion, they're all in the top 10, earnings-wise. Put Google up against some respectable competition, if you want, but don't forget that Google grew both trailing revenues and earnings by more than 75% year over year. AndarkoPetroleum (NYSE:APC) is in that ballpark, but the others produced an aggregate 5.7% revenue growth. Are you happy with pretty much the same results year after year, or would you like your investments to actually grow a bit?
Based on the scenario I painted for you in the opening statements, I think Google will grow by more than 50% annually over the next five years. After that, we'll just have to see where the search giant leverages its massive collection of user information, marketing reach, cash heap, and talent pool. Google is running neck-and-neck with companies like IBM (NYSE:IBM), Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO), and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) today, when measured by market cap, and for very good reason. If you think Google has changed the world we live in today, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Think you're done with the Duel? Think again! Go back and read the other three entries, then vote for the winner!
Fool contributor Anders Bylund holds no position in any of the companies discussed here. He keeps saying he'd like to own some Cisco and Google, but then he would have to stop writing about them for a while. Inconceivable! Intel is an Inside Value pick. You can check outAnders' holdings if you like, and Foolish disclosureis always properly valued.
