ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED (EVA) AS A PROXY FOR MARKET VALUE ADDED (MVA) AND ACCOUNTING EARNINGS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE BUSINESS CYCLE

Abstract

Further understanding of the significance of EVA issue, i.e., 1) whether stock prices follow EVA better than a traditional accounting measure such as earning per share (EPS), 2) how correlation between EVA and MVA are affected by two different economic periods, and 3) whether there is effectiveness of EVA at the industry level. We find no evidence that increase in the change in EVA is attributable to increases in the market-adjusted returns (MAR) regardless of the stage of the business cycle. However, strong positive correlation between EVA and MVA from both parametric and nonparametric tests are more evident during the contraction period. Finally, we also find that the market response to accounting earning, not EVA, is more prone to volatile swings in the manufacturing sector than non-manufacturing industries.