NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Oct 26, 2012) - Mobile advertising has become a key focus for the Social Media Industry as companies look to monetize the value of their large user base. Worldwide the total number of smartphones in use in the third quarter was 1.03 billion, a 47 percent increase from third quarter 2011. By 2015, that number is predicted to double to 2 billion units. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Social Media Industry and provides equity research on Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: [ FB ]) and Yelp Inc. (NYSE: [ YELP ]).

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The rapidly growing popularity of smartphones worldwide has made mobile ads a viable option for advertisers. Research firm eMarketer estimates that spending on mobile advertising in the U.S. will reach $2.61 billion in 2012, before soaring to nearly $12 billion in 2016. In 2012, eMarketer estimates that the average amount of time U.S. consumers spend on their mobile devices -- talk-time not included -- will rise 51.9 percent to 82 minutes per day, a sharp increase from an average of just 34 minutes in 2010.

"It grew from an almost insignificant category to a now meaningful category in under two years," said David Silverman, a partner at PwC.

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Facebook shares have fallen approximately 50 percent from their IPO price of $38 in May. For the third quarter of 2012 the company reported a 32 percent increase in revenues, and that they generated 14 percent of advertising revenues from mobile. The social media giant has recently introduced new products and features that are expected to boost earnings going forward.

Yelp on Tuesday announced the acquisition of European competitor Qype for a total of $50 million. "We have built a solid foundation in Europe and this acquisition should significantly increase our international presence," said Yelp co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman. The company also reported preliminary third quarter results that exceeded their previous guidance.

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