03 Security Analysis Theory Notes
03 Security Analysis Theory Notes
SECURITY ANALYSIS
Fundamental Analysis
Fundamental analysis is a method for determining a security's intrinsic value, such as the value of a stock or
bond, by examining its underlying economic and financial elements.
● The "intrinsic value of the share" is the present value of future dividends computed by discounting the
cash flows at an appropriate discount rate.
The present value of the future dividends can be calculated by discounting the cash flows at an appropriate
discount rate and is known as the 'intrinsic value of the share'. The intrinsic value of a share, according to a
fundamental analyst, depicts the true value of a share. A share that is priced below the intrinsic value must be
bought, while a share quoting above the intrinsic value must be sold.
● Fundamental analysis' principal goal is to identify whether an investment is overvalued or undervalued
by the market. If a security is undervalued, the analyst may advise purchasing it; if it is overvalued, the
analyst may advise selling it.
Key Variables that an investor must monitor in order to carry out his Fundamental Analysis
OR Factors affecting Economic Analysis
OR Various Techniques used in Economic Analysis
OR Factors affecting Industrial Analysis
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Macro- economic factors e. g. historical performance of the
economy in the past/ present and expectations in future, growth of different sectors of the economy in future
with signs of stagnation/degradation at present to be assessed while analyzing the overall economy. Trends in
peoples’ income and expenditure reflect the growth of a particular industry/company in future. Consumption
affects corporate profits, dividends and share prices in the market.
Factors Affecting Economic Analysis:
● Growth Rates of National Income and Related Measures: The difference between the nominal growth
rate given by GDP and the 'real' growth rate after inflation is crucial. The predicted economic growth
rate would provide a guide to the prospects for the industrial sector, and thus to the returns investors
might expect from stock investments.
● Growth Rates of Industrial Sector: This can be further divided into growth rates of different industries
or groups of industries. The rates of growth in particular industries are estimated based on the
expected demand for their products.
● Inflation: Inflation is measured in terms of either wholesale prices (the Wholesale Price Index or WPI)
or retail prices (Consumer Price Index or CPI). The demand in some industries, particularly the
consumer products industries, is significantly influenced by the inflation rate.
● Monsoon: Because of the strong forward and backward linkages, monsoon is of great concern to
investors in the stock market too.
Techniques used in Economic Analysis
Anticipatory Surveys:
They help investors to form an opinion about the future state of the economy.
In spite of valuable inputs available through this method, it has certain drawbacks:
(i) Survey results do not guarantee that intentions surveyed would materialize.
(ii)They are not regarded as forecasts per se, as there can be a consensus approach by the investor for
exercising his opinion.
Continuous monitoring of this practice is called for to make this technique popular.
Barometer/Indicator Approach:
Various indicators are used to find out how the economy shall perform in the future. The indicators have been
classified as under:
(i) Leading Indicators: They lead the economic activity in terms of their outcome. They relate to the time
series data of the variables that reach high/low points in advance of economic activity.
(ii) Roughly Coincidental Indicators: They reach their peaks and troughs at approximately the same in the
economy.
(iii) Lagging Indicators: They are time series data of variables that lag behind in their consequences vis-a- vis
the economy. They reach their turning points after the economy has reached its own already.
Economic Model Building Approach:
A precise and clear association between dependent and independent variables is determined using this
approach. In practise, GNP model construction or sectoral analysis is carried out using a national accounting
framework.
The steps used are as follows:
(i) Hypothesize total economic demand by measuring total income (GNP) based on political stability, rate of
inflation, changes in economic levels.
(ii) Forecasting the GNP by estimating levels of various components viz. consumption expenditure, gross
private domestic investment, government purchases of goods/services, net exports.
(iii) After forecasting individual components of GNP, add them up to obtain the forecasted GNP.
(iv) Comparison is made of total GNP thus arrived at with that from an independent agency for the forecast of
GNP and then the overall forecast is tested for consistency.
This is carried out for ensuring that both the total forecast and the component wise forecast fit together in a
reasonable manner.
INDUSTRY ANALYSIS:
An assessment has to be made regarding all the conditions and factors relating to demand of the particular
product, cost structure of the industry and other economic and Government constraints on the same.
Since a company's core profitability is determined by the economic prospects of the industry to which it
belongs, an assessment of the industry's prospects is required.
Factors Affecting Industry Analysis
● Product Life-Cycle: An industry's profitability is often high in the early and growing stages, middling but
consistent in the maturity stage, and rapidly decreasing in the final stage of growth.
● Demand Supply Gap: Excess supply affects industry profitability due to lower unit price realisation, but
insufficient supply tends to boost profitability due to greater unit price realisation.
● Barriers to Entry: Any industry with a high profit margin would attract new investment. Potential
industry entrants, on the other hand, face a variety of entrance challenges. Some of these challenges
are inherent in the product and manufacturing technology, while others are established by current
industry firms.
● Government Attitude: The attitude of the government towards an industry is a crucial determinant of
its prospects.
● State of Competition in the Industry: Firms with leadership capability and the nature of competition
among them in foreign and domestic markets, type of products manufactured, demand prospects type
of industry the firm is placed viz. growth, cyclical, defensive, or decline
● Cost Conditions and Profitability: The price of a share depends on its return, which in turn depends on
profitability of the firm. Profitability depends on the state of competition in the industry, cost control
measures adopted by its units and growth in demand for its products.
Factors to be considered are:
1) Cost allocation among various heads e.g. raw material, labors and overheads and their
controllability.
2) Product price.
3) Production capacity in terms of installation, idle and operating.
4) Level of capital expenditure required for maintenance / increase in productive efficiency.
● Technology and Research: Technology is subject to change very fast leading to obsolescence.
Industries which update themselves have a competitive advantage over others in terms of quality, price
etc. Things to be probed in this regard are:
1) Nature and type of technology used.
2) Expected changes in technology for new products leading to increase in sales.
3) Relationship of capital expenditure and sales over time. More capital expenditure means
increase in sales.
4) Money spent in research and development.
5) Assessment of industry in terms of sales and profitability in short, immediate and long run.
COMPANY ANALYSIS:
Economic and industry framework provides the investor with proper background against which shares of a
particular company are purchased. This requires careful examination of the company's quantitative and
qualitative fundamentals.
● Net Worth and Book Value
● Sources and Uses of Funds
● Cross-Sectional and Time Series Analysis
● Size and Ranking
● Growth Record
● Financial Analysis
● Competitive Advantage
● Quality of Management
● Corporate Governance
● Regulation
● Location and labour management relations
● Pattern of Existing stock holding
● Marketability of the shares
● Technical analysis relies upon chart analysis which shows the past trends in stock prices rather than
the information in the financial statements like balance sheet or profit and loss account.
Theories of Technical Analysis OR Explain The Dow Theory OR Explain Random Walk Theory
Charles Dow invented The Dow Theory, a fundamental concept in technical analysis used to understand the
stock market. The Dow Theory is based on the analysis of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), which is
one of the oldest and most widely followed stock market indices. According to the Dow Theory, the DJIA
reflects the overall health of the stock market and can be used to predict its future direction.
The market's movements can be divided into three categories, all of which are active at the same time:
primary movement, secondary movement, and daily fluctuations.
● The primary movement is the main trend of the market, which lasts from one year to 36 months or
longer. This trend is commonly called bear or bull market.
● The secondary movement of the market is shorter in duration than the primary movement, and is
opposite in direction. It lasts from two weeks to a month or more.
● The daily fluctuations are the narrow movements from day-to-day.
Thus, the Dow Theory’s purpose is to determine where the market is and where is it going, although not how
far or high
Charles Dow proposed that the primary uptrend would have three moves up,
● The first one being caused by accumulation of shares by the far-sighted, knowledgeable investors,
● The second move would be caused by the arrival of the first reports of good earnings by corporations,
and the last move up would be caused by widespread report of financial well being of corporations.
● The third stage would also see rampant speculation in the market.
● Towards the end of the third stage, the far-sighted investors, realizing that the high earnings levels may
not be sustained, would start selling, starting the first move down of a downtrend, and as the
non-sustainability of high earnings is confirmed, the second move down would be initiated and then the
third move down would result from distress selling in the market.
Overall, the Dow Theory is a useful framework for understanding the stock market and predicting its future
direction. However, like any investment strategy, it requires careful analysis and consideration of multiple
factors
The supporters of this theory put out a simple argument. It follows that:
(a) Prices of shares in stock market can never be predicted.
(b) The reason is that the price trends are not the result of any underlying factors, but that they represent a
statistical expression of past data.
(c) There may be periodical ups or downs in share prices, but no connection can be established between two
successive peaks (high price of stocks) and troughs (low price of stocks )
Explain Various Market Indicators [MTP Oct 20, RTP Nov 20]
Some of the most commonly used market indicators:
1. Breadth Index:
It is an index that includes all traded securities. It is calculated by dividing the market's net advances or
declines by the number of issues traded. The movement of the Dow Jones Averages is either supported or
contradicted by the breadth index. If it supports the movement of the Dow Jones Averages, it is a sign of
technical strength; if it does not, it is a sign of technical weakness, indicating that the market will move in the
opposite direction of the Dow Jones Averages. The Dow Theory and the movement of the Dow Jones
Averages are supplemented by the breadth index.
2.Volume of Transaction:
The number of shares traded in the market can provide useful information about how the market will act in the
near future. A rising index/price with rising volume would indicate buy behaviour because the situation shows
unsatisfied market demand. Similarly, a declining market with increased volume indicates a bear market, and
prices are likely to decline further. A rising market with decreasing volume denotes a bull market, whereas a
falling market with declining volume denotes a bear market. Thus, the volume concept is best used with
another market indicator, such as the Dow Theory.
3.Confidence Index:
It is meant to demonstrate how eager investors are to take a risk in the market. It is the proportion of
high-quality bond yields to low-quality bond yields. Market analysts utilise it as a means of trading or timing
the buying and selling of stock, as well as a forecasting device to determine market turning points. A rising
confidence index is predicted to be followed by a rising stock market, while a falling index is likely to be
followed by a decline in stock prices. A drop in the confidence index indicates that low-grade bond yields are
rising or dropping faster than high-grade yields.
a) Moving Averages –
Moving Averages is one of the more popular methods of data analysis for decision making. Moving averages
are regularly plotted with prices to make buy and sell decisions. Technical analysts utilise moving average
research to spot trends.
● 200 days moving average of daily prices or a 30-week moving of weekly price for identifying a
long-term trend.
● 60 days moving average of daily price to identify an intermediate term trend.
● 10 days moving average of daily price to detect a short-term trend.
Buy and Sell Signals provided by Moving Average Analysis.
Buy Signal Sell Signal
Stock price line rise through the moving Stock price line falls through moving
average line when graph of the moving average line when graph of the moving
average line is flattering out. average line is flattering out
Stock price line falls below moving average Stock price line rises above moving
line which is rising. average line which is falling
Stock price line which is above moving Stock price line which is slow moving
average line falls but begins to rise again average line rises but begins to fall again
before reaching the moving average line before reaching the moving average line.
Detractors of technical analysis feel it is an ineffective effort, and they present their arguments as follows:
● Most technical analysts unable to offer a convincing explanation for their tools employed
● Empirical evidence in support of random walk hypothesis cast its shadow over the useful ness of
technical analysis.
● Up trend and down trend signalled by technical analysis may already have taken place.
● Technical analysis must be self-defeating proposition.
● Filter Rules Test - If the price of stock increases by at least N% buy and hold it until its price decreases
by at least N% from a subsequent high. When the price decreases at least N% or more, sell it. If the
behaviour of stock price changes is random, filter rules should not apply in such a buy and hold
strategy.
Empirical Evidence on Semi Strong Efficient Market Theory
There have been empirically verified studies that indicate the following inefficiencies and anomalies:
● Stock price adjust gradually not rapidly to announcements of unanticipated changes in quarterly
earnings. •Small firms’ portfolio seemed to outperform large firms’ portfolio.
● Low price earning multiple stock tend to outperform large price earning multiple stock.
● Monday’s return is lower than return for the other days of the week.
Empirical Evidence on Strong form of Efficient Market Theory
● The researcher examined the profits made by specific groups, such as business insiders, stock
exchange professionals, and mutual fund managers who have access to internal information (not
publicly available) or have more resources or expertise to intensely assess information in the public
domain.
● Mutual Fund managers do not on an average earn a superior rate of return. No scientific evidence has
been formulated to indicate that investment performance of professionally managed portfolios as a
group has been any better than that of randomly selected portfolios.
Modified Duration is a proxy not an accurate measure of change in price of a Bond due to change
interest rate. Discuss
● Although Modified Duration is a measure of volatility or change in a bond's price as a result of a change
in yield or interest rates.It assumes a linear relationship between the Modified Duration and the bond's
proice, although it is not an accurate measure due to convexity.
● As a result, the relationship between interest rate changes and bond value is nonlinear, i.e. a convex
curve to the origin, as illustrated below.
The preceding diagram clearly shows that the real effect of interest rate changes on bond prices differs from
the projected linear relationship.
In an efficient market, technical analysis may not work perfectly. However, with imperfections,
inefficiencies and irrationalities, which characterises the real world, technical analysis may be
helpful. Critically analyse the statement [Suggested Nov 2020]
This assertion is correct.
Arguments for Technical Analysis
a. Under influence of crowd psychology trend persists for some time. Technical analysis helps in the early
identification of these tendencies, helping in decision making.
b. The shift in demand and supply is gradual rather than abrupt. Technical analysis helps in recognising this
transition early enough.
c. Over time, the market observes and absorbs essential information about the company. Hence Price
movements tend to be in the same direction until the information is fully incorporated in the stock price.
Arguments against Technical Analysis
a. Technical are unable to provide a persuasive explanation for the tools they use.
b. Empirical findings supporting the random walk theory threw a shade over it.
c. Trends have already occurred by the time technical analysis signals them.
Explain how cash flow -based approach of valuation is different from Income based approach and
also explain briefly the steps involved in this approach. [RTP May 2021]
● The cash flows approach considers the amount of free cash available in future periods and discounts it
properly to fit the flow's risk.
● If the present value obtained after applying the discount rate is greater than the current cost of
investing
● Enterprise valuation is appealing to both stakeholders and externally interested parties.
● It makes an attempt to address the issue of over-reliance on past data.
● There are five phases to performing DCF-based evaluation:
1. Obtaining the Free Cash Flows
2. Future cash flow forecasting
3. Calculating the discount rate using the cost of capital
4. Determining the enterprise's Terminal Value (TV)
5. Calculating the present values of the free cash flows and the Tv, and interpreting the results
Question 1-
Closing values of NSE Nifty from 6th to 17th day of the month of January of the year 2020 were as follows:
Days Date Day Sensex
1 6 THU 14522
2 7 FRI 14925
3 8 SAT No Trading
4 9 SUN No Trading
5 10 MON 15222
6 11 TUE 16000
7 12 WED 16400
8 13 THU 17000
9 14 FRI No Trading
10 15 SAT No Trading
11 16 SUN No Trading
12 17 MON 18000
Calculate Exponential Moving Average (EMA) of Sensex during the above period. The previous day exponential
moving average of Sensex can be assumed as 15,000. The value of exponent for 31 days EMA is 0.062.
Give detailed analysis on the basis of your calculations.
Question 2-
The closing value of a Stock Market Index for the month of October, 2007 is given below:
Date Closing Index Value
1.10.07 2800
3.10.07 2780
4.10.07 2795
5.10.07 2830
8.10.07 2760
9.10.07 2790
10.10.07 2880
11.10.07 2960
12.10.07 2990
15.10.07 3200
16.10.07 3300
17.10.07 3450
19.10.07 3360
22.10.07 3290
23.10.07 3360
24.10.07 3340
25.10.07 3290
29.10.07 3240
30.10.07 3140
31.10.07 3260
You are required to test the weak form of efficient market hypothesis by applying the run test at 5% and 10%
level of significance.