Case Study Assignment Company Analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assignment Company Analysis - Case Study Example They use all the information available or that can be reasonably obtained - consisting of known information and beliefs about the future (inferred information). Being the determinant of stock prices, information is the central issue of the efficient market concept. An efficient market is defined as one in which the prices of securities fully reflect all known information quickly and accurately (Jones 1991). The current price of a stock incorporates or fully reflect all information that investors assimilate in the process of making their buy and sell decisions. According to this concept, it is assumed that all known information -- including past information (such as last years or quarters earnings), current information, and events that have been announced but not yet implemented, such as a stock split -- are fully reflected in the price. Other information that can be reasonably inferred such as a change in interest rates will also be reflected in the prices even before the event occur s. By "quickly and accurately" is meant the speed at which information is received by its users, instantaneously in most cases, particularly with current electronic communications availability enabling brokerage houses, institutional investors and others to obtain any information and process it for quick decisions. For individuals without such easy access, information can reach them a few hours or a day later. It is not quite easy to determine what accuracy in price adjustment means, but the theory simply assumes that an unbiased estimate of the equilibrium price is established after all investors have fully assessed the input of the information (Jones 1991). New information about a companys profitability can affect the price of its stock such that it has a positive excess return, described as that portion in the price not accounted for by the overall market movement. On an average day, the difference between the price and the overall market, the