Microsoft has been named the world's second most valuable brand at $63 billion, according to Forbes, due in part to its massive sales and promotional deals, but still falling behind Apple



From Neowin:

The valuation placed Microsoft at a worth of $63 billion, a hefty price due in part to its jumping mobile and tablet sales, as well as its sponsorship deals with organizations like the NFL (a deal worth over $400 million). Forbes rated the brand based on its past three years of business operations, which marked an increase in various sectors over the three previous years.

The company reported $23.2 billion in revenue and $5.48 billion in operating income during the three-month period ending September 30th of its 15th fiscal year. In the same report, Microsoft noted a major jump in mobile sales, largely due to its acquisition of the Nokia brand.

  Microsoft named world's second most valuable brand