Financial Statement Basics

BPS (Book Value Per Share)

Book Value Per Share

Shareholders' equity divided by shares outstanding — the book net assets behind one share. The denominator of P/B.

In plain terms

If the company sold all its assets today and paid off its debt, the book amount left for shareholders (net assets), divided by the share count, is BPS.

Put simply, it is "the book asset value behind one share." How many times this BPS the share price is gives P/B (P/B = price ÷ BPS).

What it tells you

It is the basis for P/B, which gauges whether the price is high or low relative to book asset value.

As a company accumulates earnings and grows its capital, BPS grows too. A steadily rising BPS means net assets are piling up.

Formula

BPS = shareholders' equity (net assets) ÷ shares outstanding

What high or low means

A steadily rising BPS is read as the company growing its net assets.

A price below BPS (P/B under 1) means it trades below book net assets.

Caution

BPS is a book (accounting) value, so intangible value like brand and technology is barely captured. So an asset-light company can have a small BPS while its real value is large.

When equity changes through buybacks or write-downs that cut asset values, BPS swings too.

Metrics to read alongside

P/B Ratio (Price-to-Book)

P/B is the share price divided by BPS. Knowing what BPS is makes clear what P/B is measured against.

EPS (Earnings Per Share)

If BPS is "the assets behind one share," EPS is "the earnings one share makes." Together they let you gauge a share's assets and earning power at once.

See it in real stocks

Search US stocks on Stocklore to see BPS and other financial metrics alongside the sector benchmark.

CVX Chevron Corporation T AT&T Inc.RBLX Roblox Corporation ELV Elevance Health, Inc.GM General Motors Company AAPL Apple Inc.Search stocks →

Exactly how Stocklore computes this metric (formula, thresholds, SEC source) is on the methodology page.

This explanation is for information and reference only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Investment decisions and their consequences are your own.