Correlation between Returns and Market and Book Value Per Share

Abstract

Companies are interested in promoting and improving the value of its trading shares as higher book and market value of its shares reinforces the company's position and improves its credit reputation. Hence, the purpose of this study is to look at the nature of the correlation between company returns (return on assets and earnings per share) and book value and market value per share, and analyze the nature of the correlation between market value and book value per share in different sectors belonging to the industrial, services, and financial segments in Jordanian shareholding companies during the period between 2008-2014.

One of the highlights of the results of the study is the higher correlation to earnings per share and market value and book value per share compared with the return on assets and market value and book value per share in all sectors of the Jordanian shareholding companies. The results show that nearly all the correlation coefficients in the industrial and service sectors were closer to each other while the ones for the financial sector differed. Additionally, the study showed that there is high correlation between book value and market value per share in all sectors of the Jordanian shareholding companies, indicating that the change in book value per share leads to change in market value, and vice versa. Thus, the change in such value can be relied upon as an indicator of the change in the other values.

Keywords: Market Value of Share, Book Value of Share, Earnings per Share, Return on Asset