Intrinsic Value vs Book Value

Have you ever wondered if a company is worth more or less than its price tag?

Book value gives a snapshot of a company’s financial health based on accounting records, but it does not tell the whole story. That is where intrinsic value comes in. It is like looking into a crystal ball, trying to estimate a company’s true worth based on its future potential.

In this blog, we will deep dive into book value and intrinsic value, uncovering the key differences, and why they are important for investors.

Read Also: How to find and identify undervalued stocks

Intrinsic Value

The term intrinsic value gets thrown around a lot in finance, especially when talking about stocks and businesses. It refers to an asset’s inherent worth, independent of what the market is currently willing to pay for it.

There are two primary approaches to understand the intrinsic value.

1. Present Value of Future Cash Flows

This is a common approach for stocks. The idea is that a company’s true value is based on the amount of cash it is expected to generate in the future, discounted back to the present day.

The most common method for stocks is the discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis. This approach involves estimating a company’s future cash flows, and then discounting them back to their present value. The idea is that a company’s intrinsic value is essentially the sum of all its future cash flows.

The DCF approach can be summarized as follows:

• Estimating future cash flows by analysing the company’s financial statements, and industry trends to forecast its future earnings and cash flow generation.
• Choose a discount rate that reflects the time value of money and the riskiness of the investment. A higher-risk company would require a higher discount rate.
• Discount each year’s cash flows to present value using the chosen discount rate.
• The sum of the discounted cash flows represents the company’s intrinsic value.

2. Underlying Value of the asset

This is more general and can apply to anything you own, not just stocks. It is the value of the parts that make up the whole.

Furthermore, the market price of an asset can deviate significantly from its intrinsic value due to factors like market sentiment, psychology, and short-term fluctuations.

Also, the significance of intrinsic value was underscored by legendary investor, Warren Buffet in his investment strategy. To buy companies at a discount and hold them for the long run, he looks to invest in businesses that, in his opinion, are trading below their fundamental value.

Book Value

Book value refers to the accounting value of a company’s net assets on its balance sheet. In other words, it reflects what a company would be worth if it liquidated all its assets and paid off all its debts. It essentially represents the shareholder’s equity in the company.

A high book value can indicate a financially stable company with a significant amount of assets.
However, book value does not necessarily reflect the current market value of a company or its future growth potential. This is because value relies on the historical costs of assets, which might not reflect their current fair market value.

Calculation of Book Value

Book Value = Total Assets – Total Liabilities

Where Total Assets include all the company’s valuable possessions such as property, inventory, cash, and investments.

Total liabilities include all the money the company owes, such as loans, accounts payable, and accrued expenses.

Book Value per share is derived by dividing the book value of the company by the number of outstanding shares.

Book Value per share = Book Value / Number of Outstanding Shares

Additionally, book value is an important metric for investors as it provides insight into the underlying value of a company’s assets.

Investors often compare a company’s stock price to its book value per share to analyse whether the stock is undervalued or overvalued relative to its asset base. However, keep in mind that most of the growth companies trade well above their Book value.

Book Value vs. Intrinsic Value

Basis	Book Value	Intrinsic Value
Basis	Book Value	Intrinsic Value
Definition	Represents the net value of a company’s assets after subtracting its liabilities	Represents the true worth of an asset based on fundamental analysis.
Calculation	BV = Total Assets – Total Liabilities	Intrinsic Value is often estimated using various methods such as DCF analysis.
Perspective	Focuses on the balance sheet and tangible assets.	Considers future earnings, growth prospects, and risk factors.
Limitations	It does not account for intangible assets like goodwill or intellectual property	It is subjective and is dependent on the analyst’s assumptions and methodology.
Market Relationship	It can serve as a floor for a company’s stock price	A stock trading below intrinsic value may be considered undervalued, while one trading above it may be considered overvalued.

Read Also: The Art of Value Investing: Meaning and Strategies

Conclusion

Book value offers a reliable, historical perspective on a company’s financial standing. Intrinsic value, on the other hand, takes you on a journey into the future, estimating a company’s future growth. By wielding book value and intrinsic value analysis, you become a more well-rounded investor, equipped to make informed decisions and uncover hidden gems in the stock market.

Remember, successful investing is all about peering beyond the surface and understanding the underlying value of a company.

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