Invisible, yet Invaluable: Valuing Intangibles in the Birkenstock IPO
This article examines how intangible assets (brand name, management quality, celebrity endorsements) should be valued in intrinsic valuation models rather than through accounting frameworks. Using Birkenstock's IPO as a case study, the author demonstrates that intangibles affect value only through their impact on cash flows (revenue growth, operating margins) or discount rates, and estimates Birkenstock's intrinsic value at €8.38 billion by decomposing the contribution of each intangible asset.
Metrics in this report
20%percent
null
Sales from customers earning under $50,000 annually
22.3%percent
null
12 months preceding IPO filing
18.2%percent
null
Decade leading into IPO (2012-2023)
40%percent
null
Current age-based customer mix
50%percent
null
Current sales mix
60%percent
null
US corporate balance sheets over last 25 years
70%percent
median
Large branded apparel and footwear companies
170million USD
median
All 86 listed footwear companies globally as of September 2023
25%percent
null
Footwear companies globally; over one-quarter reporting operating losses
24%percent
median
Large branded apparel and footwear companies
8.66%percent
median
Large branded apparel and footwear companies over last decade
30%percent
null
US companies in 2022, down from 70% in 1980