Corporate valuation: theoretical postulates and empirical evidence from SENSEX firms in India

Corporate valuation forms as one of the most significant pillars in the field of finance. With refinements in academic theories surrounding asset-pricing models and advancements in computing technology, studies in this field have generated an enormous amount of interest among academics and practitioners alike.
In this paper, the author seeks to investigate the above research phenomenon by resorting to an empirical examination carried out on a sample comprising of the firms forming part of India’s benchmark market index – SENSEX. As a prelude to the scientific procedure outlining the above, the author discusses all the significant theoretical postulates surrounding the corporate valuation led by the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis.
Upon the empirical investigation surrounding the corroboration of intrinsic measure of corporate values with the market-determined counterparts, the author finds statistically significant evidence refuting the null hypothesis underlying the indifference between intrinsically-determined enterprise values and market-determined enterprise values. Such an observation throws up interesting research possibilities. One, the author might wish to decipher arguments against the phenomenon underlying ‘market efficiency’, as the same would obliterate any attempt made by a discerning investor to earn ‘abnormal return’ on her investment. Second, the author might wish to substantiate the arguments forwarded by the iconic breed of investors subscribing to the ‘value investing’ philosophy by reasoning out the need to identify prospective investment opportunities available against a vast expanse of securities founded on a calibrated notion of ‘fundamental approach towards investments’