O’Reilly Auto’s brand value on the rise

O’Reilly Automotive Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ORLY) brand value climbed 21 spots in an annual industry report.

The Springfield-based auto parts retailer ranked No. 219 among 500 companies nationwide on valuation and strategy consultancy firm Brand Finance’s 500 most valuable brands. It ranked No. 240 on the 2018 list.

O’Reilly Auto’s valuation is now $3.9 billion, a 30.5 percent increase from a year earlier, according to a news release.

The Brand Finance report cited O’Reilly Auto’s addition of more than 200 new stores in 36 states during 2018. The company ranked No. 9 in Missouri, and it grew at a faster pace than any other brand in the state, according to the report.

The top 10 Missouri brands, ranked by valuation, are:
• Purina, $8.2 billion, up 41.7 percent from a year earlier;
• Budweiser, $7.5 billion, up 6.2 percent;
• Bud Light, $7 billion, down 5.4 percent;
• Enterprise, $6.8 billion, up 25.4 percent;
• Emerson, $5.4 billion, up 29 percent;
• Centene Corp., $4.7 billion, up 23.7 percent;
• Cerner, $4.07 billion, up 8.9 percent;
• Express Scripts, $3.95 billion, down 6.9 percent;
• O’Reilly Auto Parts, $3.9 billion, up 30.5 percent; and
• Panera Bread, $2.6 billion, up 18 percent.

Missouri ranked No. 18 among U.S. states by total brand value.

The top three most valuable brands in the U.S. held their ranks from the prior year. Amazon, with a brand valuation of $187.9 billion, was followed by Apple, at $153.6 billion, and Google, at $142.8 billion, according to the release.

To determine a brand’s value, Brand Finance estimates its likely future revenues by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, according to the report.