Not many people are aware of the market to book ratio in determining a company’s current market value. This makes it difficult for them to know what stocks to invest in.
However, by learning the importance of this ratio, it can be much easier to control your assets and invest in ones that are actually fruitful. Here’s how to use market to book ratio in order to evaluate the market value of a company.
What is The Market to Book Ratio?
The Market to Book Ratio, which is also known as the Price to Book Ratio, is a financial valuation metric that is used to evaluate a company’s current market value in comparison to its book value. The market value is the current stock price of all of its shares, while the book value is the amount that would be left over if a company liquidate all of its assets and repaid its liabilities.
Who Is The Ratio Used By?
The ratio is usually used by investors in order to demonstrate the market’s perception of the value of a company’s stocks. It can be used to value insurance and financial companies, investment trusts, and real estate companies. For companies that have mostly intangible assets, the market to book ratio is not very reliable.
How Is The Market to Book Ratio Calculated?
The formula can be calculated in one of two ways. First, you can divide market capitalization by the net book value in order to come up with your ratio. The second way to do it is to divide the share price by the net book value per share. The net book value is the total assets minus the total liabilities.
How Do You Interpret the Ratio?
After all calculations have been made, what does the ratio actually mean? Any ratio that is less than one (1) means that the stock is undervalued and is a bad investment. A ratio that is higher than one amounts to the stock being overvalued so that the company is doing well. However, there are some differences of opinion, as some investors state that the opposite is true. Because of these differences, it is important that other stock valuation methods be used in order to determine a company’s true value.
Should You Invest Based On This Ratio?
Although the market to book ratio is one of the most commonly used ratios to determine whether to invest in a company’s stock, it should not be solely relied upon. For example, infotech stocks tend to have a high market to book ratio, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest, as they can become quite profitable in the future and appear cheap according to other metrics that are used.
It can be a bit of a gamble, trying to figure out which stocks to invest in based on the market to book ratio, but with careful planning and the assistance of a financial professional, you may be able to figure out which ones are right for your portfolio.
