The Value of Software

71 Pages Posted: 18 Oct 2022 Last revised: 14 Apr 2023

Date Written: July 9, 2022

Abstract

Software is one of the most important assets that needs to be priced in the digital economy. We find that various market participants have consistently undervalued software over the past two decades. Specifically, companies primarily valued for their software offerings experience large and persistent annual revenue growth surprises of over 40 percent. Additionally, their stock prices exhibit predictable positive drifts that align with these forecast errors generating buy-and-hold annualized alphas exceeding 350 basis points. Importantly, we observe significant predictable spillover effects on their principal customers. Our findings are consistent with Bayesian investors learning about software's high and persistent growth rates.

Keywords: Digital economy, software valuation, asset pricing

JEL Classification: D84, G11 ,G12

Suggested Citation

Gomez Cram, Roberto and Lawrence, Alastair, The Value of Software (July 9, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4242504 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4242504

Roberto Gomez Cram (Contact Author)

London Business School ( email )

Regent's Park, London NW1 4SA
Regent's Park
London, London NW1 4SA
United Kingdom

Alastair Lawrence

London Business School ( email )

Regent's Park
London
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://Www.alastairlawrence.net

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
557
Abstract Views
2,059
Rank
83,147
PlumX Metrics