Market Capitalization

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Definition

Market Capitalization (Market Cap) is a measurement of business value based on share price and number of shares outstanding. It generally represents the market's view of a company's stock value and is a determining factor in stock valuation.

For example, if a company has 1.5 million shares outstanding at a share price of $25, its market cap is $37.5 million (1.5 million x $25). Companies can be categorized based upon the size of their market capitalization.

There are five basic groups: mega-cap (market cap over $200B), large-cap ($10B–$200B), mid-cap ($2B–$10B), small-cap ($300M–$2B), and micro-cap ($50M-$300M). Market cap is not always an accurate indication of value because it does not account for debt and other factors.

Formula

Market Capitalization = Number of Shares Outstanding x Price

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Related Terms

Enterprise Value, Fama-French Market Beta, Free Cash Flow Yield, KZ Index, Price, Shares Outstanding, Valuation

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