Book Value Per Share BVPS: Definition, Calculation & Importance

Apr 3, 2024

Book Value Per Share BVPS: Definition, Calculation & Importance


A higher book value per share ratio indicates that the company has more assets than liabilities and is likely to be a more attractive investment. Conversely, a lower book value per share ratio suggests that the company has more liabilities than assets and may be a riskier investment. These articles have been prepared by 5paisa and is not for any type of circulation. 5paisa shall not be responsible for any unauthorized circulation, reproduction or distribution of this material or contents thereof to any unintended recipient. Kindly note that this page of blog/articles does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument or as an official confirmation of any transaction. This article is prepared for assistance only and is not intended to be and must not alone be taken as the basis of an investment decision.

Google, for instance, has an extensive portfolio of intangible assets like its search engine algorithms, customer data, and globally recognized brand, all of which are not reflected in its book value. Therefore, the BVPS for Google will likely undervalue the company if it does not account for these assets. Book value per share is a reflection of a company’s total tangible assets minus its total liabilities. When a company commits to CSR and sustainability, it modifies its allocation of resources in favor of practices that encourage environmental responsibility, social development, and economic viability.

Despite its importance, it can be intimidating for those not familiar with financial jargon. Many individuals may not recognize its significance or know how to interpret it within the context of their investment decisions. Therefore, let’s understand what is book value of share and how it is helpful.

This number calculates a company’s book value per share and serves as the minimal measure of its equity. For example, let’s say that ABC Corporation has total equity of $1,000,000 and 1,000,000 shares outstanding. This means that each share of stock would be worth $1 if the company got liquidated. Assume that XYZ Manufacturing has a common equity balance of $10 million and 1 million shares of common stock are outstanding.

Accounting Close Explained: A Comprehensive Guide to the Process

BVPS is particularly helpful in gauging the asset value of companies working in sectors with a lot of physical assets. The book value meaning in share market, more commonly known as net book value or carrying value, is a financial metric that represents the value of an asset on a company’s balance sheet. In other words, it is calculated by taking the original cost of the asset and subtracting the accumulated depreciation or amortization up to the current date.

Investing in High-Performance Machinery for Sustainable Industrial Growth and ROI

It’s crucial to delve deeper when interpreting book value per share to understand the specific factors contributing to its increase or decrease. Taking a holistic approach will provide a clearer picture of a company’s financial health. While book value per share can offer valuable insights, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. It should be used in conjunction with other financial metrics to make a comprehensive investment decision.

Disregard for Intangible Assets

  • This includes all of the company’s debts and obligations such as loans, accounts payable, and taxes.
  • Book value per share differs from the market value per share in that it displays the actual share value of a company, instead of the one on stock market indices.
  • Stockholders’ equity is represented by book value per share, which may be seen at the top of this page.
  • Book value per share is a measure of a company’s net worth, or the value of its assets minus its liabilities.

Consequently, it can be conceptualized as the net asset value(NAV) of a company, obtained by subtracting its intangible assets and liabilities from the total assets. Book value per share is a financial ratio that measures the value of a company’s assets on its balance sheet relative to the number of shares outstanding. It is calculated by dividing the company’s total assets minus its total liabilities by the number of shares outstanding. Comparing book value per share across different companies is a great way to get an idea of the financial health of a company. Book value per share is a measure of a company’s net worth, or the value of its assets minus its liabilities.

Book Value Per Share: A Detailed Analysis of Company Financial Health

While corporate raiders or activist investors holding significant stakes can expedite this recognition, investors shouldn’t always rely on external influences. Consequently, solely relying on the book value of a company as a buying criterion may, surprisingly, lead to losses, even if your assessment of the company’s true value is accurate. Investors use BVPS to gauge whether a stock is trading below or above its intrinsic value. For example, suppose you have 1,000 shares of a company, and the book value per share is Rp5.

Next, let’s look at another financial institution that you may not have heard much about, although it is one of the country’s largest insurance banks. Let’s break each variable down a little bit to give us a better idea of what they are so we understand how they fit into our formula. Deskera Books hence is the perfect solution for all your accounting needs, and therefore a perfect assistant to you and your bookkeeping and accounting duties and responsibilities. Remember, even if a company has a high book value per share, there’s no guarantee that it will be a successful investment. If relevant, the value of preferred equity claims should also be subtracted from the numerator, the book value of equity.

how to calculate book value per share

Say, for example, that in the XYZ case the company buys back 200,000 shares of stock and there are still 800,000 outstanding. In addition to stock repurchases, a business may raise BVPS by increasing the asset balance and decreasing liabilities. Now, let’s say that Company B has $8 million in stockholders’ equity and 1,000,000 outstanding shares. Using the same share basis formula, we can calculate the book value per share of Company B.

Difference Between Book Value Per Share and Market Value Per Share

In this example, we have considered two main sections of the balance sheet – Assets and Liabilities. The total assets for ABC Ltd amount to Rs. 77,50,000, while the total liabilities amount to Rs. 32,00,000. To calculate the book value, we subtract the total liabilities from the total assets i.e. This represents the net value of the company’s assets after deducting all its liabilities.

On the other hand, if the book value per share is lower than the current market price, it may indicate that the stock is overvalued and could be a risky investment. Book value per share is a financial metric that represents a company’s total tangible assets minus total liabilities, divided by the number of shares outstanding. It illustrates the amount of net assets each shareholder would receive if a company were liquidated. Book value per share is an important financial metric used to measure the value of a company. It is calculated by dividing the total book value of a company by the number of outstanding shares.

Managing Assets and Liabilities

Calculating book value per share is an important step in understanding the financial health of a company. It is a measure of the company’s net worth, or the amount of money that would be left over if all of the company’s assets were sold and all of its liabilities were paid off. Book value per share is calculated by subtracting the company’s total liabilities from its total assets and then dividing the result by the number of outstanding shares. Book value per share is an important metric used to measure the financial health of a company.

  • The retailer’s owners are said to have hired bankers to seek out potential buyers, Bloomberg has reported.
  • This number depicts the value of each share with respect to the net asset value of a company, giving an idea of the actual prices per share.
  • This formula is also known as book value per common share or book value of equity per share.
  • It is also known as the net asset value per share and is a useful tool for investors to assess the financial health of a company.
  • It is especially useful in value investing and in assessing financial stability during downturns.

In the example from a moment ago, a company has $1,000,000 in equity and 1,000,000 shares outstanding. Now, let’s say that the company invests in a new piece of equipment that costs $500,000. The book value per share would still be $1 even though the company’s assets have increased in value. Now, let’s say that XYZ Company has total equity of $500,000 and 2,000,000 shares outstanding.

Moreover, the all editions – BVPS (discussed in detail below) reveals the value of a single share based on the company’s tangible net assets. Another angle from which to view book value per share is as a sort of safety net. If a business were to liquidate, theoretically, the book value per share is the amount that each shareholder would receive.

Earnings per share would be the net income that common shareholders would receive per share (company’s net profits divided by outstanding common shares). Let’s say that Company A has $12 million in stockholders’ equity, $2 million of preferred stock, and an average of 2,500,000 shares outstanding. You can use the book value per share formula to help calculate the book value per share of the company. Book value per share is the portion of a company’s equity that’s attributed to each share of common stock if the company gets liquidated. It’s a measure of what shareholders would theoretically get if they sold all of the assets of the company and paid off all of its liabilities.