• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, April 29, 2020

The 500 most valuable U.S. brands could lose up to 10% of their cumulative brand value -- an estimated $393 billion loss -- due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a projection released this morning by brand valuation firm Brand Finance.

Globally, Brand Finance estimates the 500 most valuable brands worldwide could lose about $1 trillion in brand value due to the pandemic.

“Brand Finance has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the effect of the outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on 1st January 2020,” the company said in a statement, adding: “Based on this impact on enterprise value, Brand Finance estimated the likely impact on brand value for each sector. The industries have been classified into three categories – limited impact (minimal brand value loss or potential brand value growth), moderate impact (up to 10% brand value loss), and heavy impact (up to 20% brand value loss) – based on the level of brand value loss observed for each sector in the first quarter of 2020.”