Estimating Values of Assets

Abstract

A body of information elements is maintained including facts, assumptions, and relationships, at least one element being generated from the others using the relationships and representative of an estimate of a value of, or a market size of a product or service associated with, an asset. The relationships each define how a resulting fact or assumption can be generated from at least one source fact or assumption. How at least one source fact or assumption can be generated from another source fact or assumption is defined in each of multiple instances by one of the relationships. The body of information is exposed through a publicly accessible communication medium on a non-discriminatory basis. On the communication medium, users are enabled to engage in moderated collective discussion concerning the information elements. Users are enabled to participate financially in contracts having values that are tied to the estimated value of the asset.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for estimating a value of an asset, associated with a publically traded financial instrument, using computer processes carried out by a server, the computer processes comprising:
 storing at the server a model that estimates the value of the asset as a weighted sum of components, the components being organized in a hierarchy;   transmitting, from the server over a network, a web page defining graphical content for display on a client computer of a user, the graphical content representing aspects of the model, such content including graphical representations of at least some of the components of the model, and weights associated with the graphically represented components,   wherein the web page is structured so that graphically selecting a representation of one of the components in the web page, when displayed on the client computer, causes display on the client computer of at least one of (a) a portion of the hierarchy underlying the selected component, and (b) an explanation of the selected component.   
     
     
         2 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the graphical content includes a line graph showing a numerical trend over a time period. 
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 2  wherein generating graphical content includes generating a line graph associated with a third party asset. 
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the asset is stock of a publicly traded company. 
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 4  wherein a set of components of the model corresponds to one of: products, divisions or sub-divisions of the publicly traded company. 
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 5  further comprising displaying on the client computer, with respect to a component in the set of components, one of: profit and loss forecasts, product forecasts, or profit and loss driver forecasts. 
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the server is a web server and the graphical content comprises a web page. 
     
     
         8 . The method as described in  claim 1  further including exposing, from the server, additional graphical content that comprises a discussion forum by which users view user-defined models. 
     
     
         9 . The method as described in  claim 8  wherein the additional graphical content includes a mechanism to manage comments associated with the discussion forum. 
     
     
         10 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the weight of a component is graphically represented as a line thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The method as described in  claim 1  further comprising providing a graphical representation of competitor data pertaining to at least one of the components. 
     
     
         12 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the web page is further structured so that, when the web page is displayed on the client computer, a numerical value associated with a graphically represented component of the model or a weight of the model can be modified by graphical manipulation of the user on the displayed web page, so as to modify the model and to cause display, on the client computer of the user, of updated graphical content that represents the modified model. 
     
     
         13 . The method as described in  claim 12 , further comprising storing the modified model at the server. 
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 12 , further comprising sharing the modified model with other users.