Quote from ChkitOut:
i think u need to go back to finance 101. you're obviously confused as to what market value is or means.
the current price x shares outstanding IS the current market value, i dont really know what the hell you're talking about when you say price is not value or whatever... again, if i wanted to buy apple, i couldnt do it for less than 400 billion. the current market value. share price x shares outstanding.
No, that is the market capitalization. That is not what the company's true value is. A company's market cap can be substantially higher or lower then it's real value. Sure, if you wanted to buy 100 shares of AAPL "stock" you could pay the offer. But if someone wanted to actually buy the company, I assure you they would not pay the current stock price. They might pay more or less, in some cases substantially more or less. Why do you think some stocks pop 100% the next day after it is announced firm XYZ is buying out firm ABC for a 100% premium? Or why do you think you a firm might actually pay LESS for a stock then it's current price? It's because the buyer feels the company is worth much more or much less then where it's stock is trading on that "particular" day. Buyouts can take months or years to put together. The price is decided well in advance. Where the stock "happens" to be trading at on the particular day of the news is irrelevant.
For example, when JP Morgan bought out shares of Bear Stearns during the financial crisis, BSC was trading at $30 a share on Friday at the close (your market price). On Monday it was announced that JP would buy them out for $2 a share!!!!! They ultimately raised the price under shareholder pressure to $10. But obviously they did not pay the market price of $30. In most cases, stocks are bought at a premium to current share price. Again, companies are "usually" bought out because the buyer thinks the company is "worth" more then it's current "stock price". Market capitalization is meaningless.
On the flip side, when Warren Buffet bought out Burlington Northern last year, he paid a 30% "premium" to the closing stock price the day before the announcement. Why did he do that? Because he thinks the company is worth far more then it's current market capitalization.
