Web Names Create Friction Among Top Companies: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), Google Inc (GOOG), Barnes & Noble, Inc. (BKS)

Page 2 of 2

Below is a chart showing a side by side comparison of these companies stocks.



AMZN data by YCharts

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is seeking dozens of domain names such as, “.movie,” “.app,” “.wow” and even some relating to their specific products like “.kindle” and “.prime.” While Barnes & Noble may have a valid point with their recent objection, Amazon has a solid defense as well. As Amazon’s senior corporate counsel, Stacey King included the following statements in her letter to ICANN. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)’s intent was to “find new and innovative ways, mechanisms, and platforms to surprise and delight our customers.”

Stacey continued by saying, “Why should a company be able to own ‘widget.com’ and not ‘.widget’? There is no evidence that past ‘closed’ domains have led to any market power.”

While it may not be known for a while which direction ICANN will go with these new web names, we do know that this will likely increase the animosity and competitive drive for each of these companies. Although I spoke primarily of Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS)’s dislike of Amazon’s attempts to acquire new web names, rest assured companies like Apple, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Google will be active as well.

The Foolish conclusion…

All of these companies are well established, however, I can never bet against the power houses of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN). These companies seem to be doing everything they can to separate themselves from the competition. Microsoft, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), and Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS) seem to be struggling a little bit more than the other two, but may offer better opportunities in the future.

The article Web Names Create Friction Among Top Companies originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Tyler Wofford.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.



Page 2 of 2