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Ask HN: WhatsApp for $16B.... What for Tesla?

6 points by bryang ↗ HN
I know it's a big big fat ginormous juicy rumor, but if Whats App sold for $16B, how much do you think Apple would pay for Tesla? Or Tesla theoretically get from let says, Google? Personally, I think the value-add is greater than Whats App for Facebook.

So.... - What's your valuation of Tesla? - What's the value proposition for a giant tech company: New Market? New Product? Product infrastructure? Leadership and Innovation?

Chime in with your opinions. I'm very curious to see what your thoughts are.

7 comments

[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 26.4 ms ] thread
julespitt
1. Tesla's market cap is $23.74B, on a public market. A premium over that would be needed, but it's worth noting it's not a ex nihilo VC valuation.

2. I know everyone is having fun dreaming about Apple buying Tesla, but I really don't see any sane reason why it would actually happen.

3. Why would anyone buy Tesla? Why do we want Tesla to be bought by someone? Worth noting that success stories of uninnovative large companies buying smaller innovative ones to reinvigorate themselves doesn't work very often.

bryang
3 solid thoughts. And I agree with you on all.

My question is more of a "pie-in-the-sky" type of thing, because honestly, who would've thought about Facebook buying WhatsApp for 16B?

julespitt
I see. I just now realized I didn't see it coming because I didn't take their attempted acquisition of SnapChat seriously enough.

They really wanted messaging, and WhatsApp users and revenue are already impressive to the point of making SnapChat look tiny in comparison.

Oatary
Whatsapp was sold for $16B but only $4B in cash, I'm not sure the $12B in shares of Facebook is real money.

I think Tesla is worth $24B or more. It's not about what they have already achieved but the vision and the long way to go.

zxcvvcxz
Can't the 12B of shares be sold for real money?
Oatary
I don't think so, I'm pretty sure Facebook has given them some limitations on how many shares they can sell or when (ie: they can't sell more than 1B each year)

Companies which offer stock in acquisitions usually do because they think their shares are overvalued

mattwritescode
Would it not make sense for apple to buy microsoft first. It would get them a mac in every home.