Value relevance and accounting number
Evidence of market inefficiency and the development of the Feltham–Ohlson model have prompted a new wave of research on the value of fundamental analysis in the term ‘value relevance research’. Most studies are based on the combined book value and earnings approach of the Feltham–Ohlson model. These are studies that examine the association between accounting signals and market data (stock prices and returns). The significance of regression coefficients and R2 statistics are examined to evaluate value relevance. A signal is deemed value relevant if it is significantly associated with equity market value. The focus is on the role of accounting numbers for valuation purposes; other important purposes of accounting numbers, such as contracting purposes, lie outside the remit of this research area. In some cases it is of interest to compare the valuation multiples of similar accounting numbers (the various components of earnings).