What Is Brand Equity?

The value vested in a brand or the value in money terms that a brand is said to be worth. So for example brands like Nike, Coca Cola, Canon and Nokia which are global brands, with enormous reach and brand equity in billions of dollars.
So as an example if one of these brands is to be valued before being sold, the brand equity would be evaluated and that would form a large part of the selling price, since the history of the brand and the brand loyalty of it's customers gets evaluated in money terms. The new owner does not want just the price of stock on hand and assets, he wants to know if he buys a major brand, what he stands to make from that name, for the enormous outlay of funds he will pay to own that name and trade under it.
Equity can also refer to stocks or shares which have a quotable value.