About EPS

Dear Tutor,

I am studying for p2 and am prepring OBU project where i am supposed to do ratio analysis- i was failed on my previous attempt due the marker commenting that it was inappropriate of me to compare EPS and DPS between the two companies inabsolute terms. Now i am confused. How else am i supposed to compare the two then? I went went back to my F7 study text from kaplan..and it says EPS cannot be used as a basis of comparison between companies, as the number of shares in issue in any particular company is not related to the amount of capital employed. For e.g, the companies may have the same amount of capital emplyed but one company has 100,000 $1 shares and reserves of $4,900,000. Another company may have 5 million 50 ¢ shares in issue an dreserves of $ 2,500,000. If the earnings are the same, EPS is different.

Now i dont understand this..EPS is an investor ratio…its supposed to aid in comparison between two entities…could you help me understand ehat i need to do to be theoratically correct.