Much accounting-based valuation has focused on analysing historical and
forecasted accounting numbers (Richardson and Tinaikar, 2004). The work of
Ohlson (1995) and Feltham and Ohlson (1995, 1996) has produced considerable interest
amongst researchers about the role of historical accounting numbers in valuation. The
attractiveness of the Ohlson model (OM) to empirical researchers is that it provides a
testable pricing equation that identifies the roles of accounting and non-accounting
information, incorporating abnormal earnings, equity book values and “other
information” variables (Lo and Lys, 2000). Lo and Lys also identify other reasons for
the popularity of OM, in particular, the high R 2 achieved in most OM studies. This
provides a satisfactory response to Lev’s (1989) dismal findings of very low correlation
between return and earnings. This high R 2 also suggests that “little value relevance is
related to variables other than book value of equity, net income and dividends” (p. 338).
Finally, the very high-explanatory power of the model leads researchers to conclude
that the OM can be used for policy recommendations.