The calculation of the book value of preferred and common shares can be illustrated by using the following data:
Note: There are $5,000 dividends in arrears on preferred shares.
Book value is calculated as:
Comparison of book value with market value provides insight into investors’ evaluations of the corporation. For instance, if the book value of one common share of Corporation A is $20 and its common shares are traded on a public stock exchange for $40 per share (market value), it is said to be trading for “two times book value.” If Corporation B is trading for three times book value, investors are indicating that the future profit prospects for corporation B are higher than those for Corporation A. They are willing to pay proportionately more for shares of Corporation B than Corporation A, relative to the underlying book values.
Some shares regularly sell for less than their book value on various stock exchanges. This does not necessarily mean they are a bargain investment. The market price of a share is related to such factors as general economic outlook and perceived potential of the company to generate earnings.
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