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Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA FM Exams › Using book values to calculate gearing
Hi,
A little bit confused about this subject. Should we include reserves in the equity when we are asked to calculate gearing using the book values? If the answer is yes,why?
I read it somewhere or probably in your lectures sometimes back(it’s been month of practice now!) that reserves/retained earnings are already captured in the share price and doesn’t need to be included in the equity. Here if we are taking book values,I thought the nominal will suffice.
Thanks, John.
If using book values, then the value of equity is the share capital plus the reserves (as in financial accounting).
If using market values, then we just use the share price because it effectively includes the reserves (the most obvious reason for the share price being higher than the nominal value is because the company has been retaining profits).
Got it. thanks,sir.
You are welcome.