Understanding Marketability Ratio for Better Investment Decisions

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The marketability ratio is a crucial tool for investors, helping them determine the liquidity of a company's stock. It's calculated by dividing the market price per share by the earnings per share.

A higher marketability ratio indicates that a company's stock is more liquid, making it easier to sell. This is because investors can quickly convert their shares into cash.

On the other hand, a lower marketability ratio suggests that a company's stock is less liquid, making it riskier to invest. This is because investors may have trouble selling their shares quickly.

Investors should aim for a marketability ratio between 1 and 5, as this indicates a balance between liquidity and earnings growth.

What is Marketability Ratio?

The marketability ratio is a measure of a company's ability to pay its current liabilities from its current assets. It's calculated by dividing the current assets by the current liabilities.

This ratio is also known as the acid-test ratio or the quick ratio, and it's an important tool for creditors and investors who want to assess a company's liquidity.

Credit: youtube.com, Market Value Ratio - Market-to-Book Ratio

A high marketability ratio indicates that a company has sufficient liquid assets to pay its short-term debts, while a low ratio suggests that the company may struggle to meet its short-term obligations.

In general, a marketability ratio of 1 or higher is considered good, as it means the company's current assets can cover its current liabilities.

Types and Formula

Market value ratios provide different insights into a company's performance, helping investors decide whether to invest. Each ratio, individually and together, offers valuable information.

The Market to Book multiple can be derived from the PE x ROE formula. This means it's driven by return on equity and the drivers of the PE multiple.

To calculate the Market to Book multiple, you can use the formula (ROE - g) / (r - g), assuming a zero growth rate. The MB multiple will be higher than 1 if a company delivers ROE higher than the cost of equity (r).

Major Types

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Market value ratios are crucial for evaluating the current share price of a publicly-held company's stock. These ratios are employed by current and potential investors to determine whether a company's shares are over-priced or under-priced.

The most common market value ratios include the Market to Book ratio, which can be calculated using the formula Market Capitalization / Net Book Value. This ratio helps investors determine whether a company's shares are overvalued, undervalued, or rightly valued.

Market value ratios can be used to evaluate a company's financial performance and make informed investment decisions. For instance, if a company has a high market capitalization relative to its net book value of assets, its Price to Book ratio may be 3.9x, indicating that its shares are overvalued.

There are several market value ratios that provide different insights into a company's performance. Each of these figures, individually and together, helps investors decide whether to put money in the company and, if yes, when.

The Market to Book multiple can be derived from the PE multiple and ROE (Return on Equity) by doing some financial analysis. This means the MB multiple is driven by return on equity and the drivers of the PE multiple.

Examples

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The P/B ratio is a useful metric for evaluating a company's stock price. It's calculated by dividing the current market capitalization by the book value.

If a company's P/B ratio is 1.25, as seen in the example, it means its shares are trading at 1.25 times its book value. This can be a sign that the stock is overvalued.

In the example, the company's market capitalization is $1 billion, which is 1.25 times its book value of $800 million. This is a clear illustration of how the P/B ratio works.

Calculation and Interpretation

The Market-to-Book Ratio is a market value ratio that compares a company's market value to its book value. This ratio can be calculated by dividing the market value of a company's shares by its book value.

A low Market-to-Book Ratio (less than 1) could indicate that a stock is undervalued or that there's something wrong with the company. This can also give the impression that you're paying too much for what's left if the company goes bankrupt.

The Price Earnings Ratio is another market value ratio that's commonly used. It's calculated by dividing the current market price of a share by the reported earnings from that share. This ratio can help evaluate how a share is priced in comparison to competing companies.

Excel Calculation Example

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To calculate the Market to Book ratio in Excel, you'll need to know the share price, number of shares outstanding, total assets, and total liabilities.

Market capitalization is equal to share price times shares outstanding.

Net Book Value is equal to Total Assets minus Total Liabilities.

A high market capitalization relative to net book value results in a high Price to Book ratio, like Stock 1 with a ratio of 3.9x.

A lower market cap than book value of equity results in a low Market to Book ratio, like Stock 2 with a ratio of 0.9x.

The Market to Book ratio compares a company's market value to its book value, making it a useful tool for investors.

Interpreting

A low Market-to-Book ratio (less than 1) could indicate that the stock is undervalued or that there's something wrong with the company.

The market-to-book ratio can also give the impression that you're paying too much for what would be left if the company went bankrupt.

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A higher ratio (greater than 1) could mean the stock is overvalued, but many argue the opposite, so it's essential to consider other stock valuation methods.

The market-to-book ratio helps a company determine whether its asset value is comparable to the market price of its stock, and it's best to compare ratios between companies within the same industry.

A low ratio can be a warning sign that the company's shares are trading at a price that's too high relative to its book value.

In contrast, a high ratio can indicate that the company's shares are undervalued, but it's also possible that the company is overvalued.

It's essential to consider multiple factors and use other stock valuation methods to get a more accurate picture of the company's value.

The market-to-book ratio is just one tool to help you make informed investment decisions, and it's always a good idea to do your own research and consult with a financial expert.

Calculation and Interpretation

Credit: youtube.com, INTERPRETATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (ACCOUNTING RATIOS) - PART 1

The book value per share is calculated by dividing the aggregated amount of stockholders' equity by the number of outstanding shares. This ratio provides a benchmark to check if the market value of each share is high or low.

The market to book ratio is calculated by dividing the market value of a share by its book value. This ratio shows the relationship between the market value and book value of a share.

To calculate the market value, use the formula: Market value = Current market price of a share. If a company has its share listed at $10 in the market and its book value per share is $8.5, then the market to book ratio will be 10 / 8.5.

Cash earnings per share are calculated by dividing the operating cash flow by the number of shares outstanding. This ratio gives you an insight into the actual cash that a company earns from each share.

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The cash earnings per share formula is: Operating cash flow ÷ Number of shares outstanding. Let's consider a case where the operating cash flow value is 150, with the number of shares outstanding as 30. Hence, the cash earnings per share would be 150 / 30 = 5.

Earnings per share is calculated as the reported earnings of the business, divided by the total number of shares outstanding. This measurement does not reflect the market price of a company's shares in any way.

The earnings per share formula is: (Net income after tax - Preferred stock dividends) ÷ Average number of common shares outstanding. Let's consider a company that has had a net income of $18 million in 2018. In the same time period, its preferred stock dividends had a value of $2 million. The number of equity shares outstanding was 10 million.

The price earnings ratio is calculated by dividing the current market price of a share by the reported earnings from that share. This ratio is very common and mostly used out of all market value ratios.

The price earnings ratio formula is: Current market price of a share ÷ Reported earnings from that share. If a company has listed its shares at $15 each in the market and the earnings from that share is $10, the PE ratio will be 15 / 10 = 1.5.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good PB ratio?

A good Price-to-Book (PB) ratio is generally considered to be below 1.0, but can also be under 3.0 depending on the industry. However, the ideal PB ratio varies across different sectors and industries.

What is a good market ratio?

A good market ratio is typically around 1, indicating a fair value for a company's assets. A ratio of 1 or less suggests a company can be bought at a reasonable price.

Lola Stehr

Copy Editor

Lola Stehr is a meticulous and detail-oriented Copy Editor with a passion for refining written content. With a keen eye for grammar and syntax, she has honed her skills in editing a wide range of articles, from in-depth market analysis to timely financial forecasts. Lola's expertise spans various categories, including New Zealand Dollar (NZD) market trends and Currency Exchange Forecasts.

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