This is getting out of hand... these valuations of these apps are absurd, IMO. I think we're going to see a lot of this collapse in the next few years. This all just screams bubble to me...
Did some googling, so let me elaborate: In 2013, NBC Universal was aquired by Comcast for $17bn. Facebook thinks that WhatsApp is worth more than NBC Universal?! Really? Additionally, Heinz was bought by Berkshire Hathaway for $23bn, which is only a rock's throw away from the price Facebook paid for WhatsApp. I'm sorry, but I just don't see how WhatsApp is possibly adding as much value to the market place as NBC Universal or Heinz...
I think like we had the dotcom bubble burst a few years ago, we're about to start seeing the social/app bubble burst soon. These valuations and buyouts of things like whatsapp and instagram and the like are insane. These apps are easily usurped by the next big thing, the next fad, or the next shift in technology. The only thing that could possibly make things worthwhile is the data-mining aspect, but I still don't see how that information is truly worth that much money. Maybe I'm just ignorant? idk...
Anyway, here is official facebook investor page, for those who want more info:
http://investor.fb.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=1326801-14-10&CIK=1326801