Ratios are mostly calculated based on the financial statements of a firm. However, another group of ratios, called market-based ratios, relate to a firms observable market value, stock prices, and book values, integrating information from both the market and the firms financial statements.

Consider the case of Blue Dog Manufacturing Corp.:

Blue Dog Manufacturing Corp. just reported a net income of $12,000,000, and its current stock price is $23.00 per share. Blue Dog is forecasting an increase of 25% for its net income next year, but it also expects it will have to issue 1,900,000 new shares of stock (raising its shares outstanding from 5,500,000 shares to 7,400,000 shares).

If Blue Dogs forecast turns out to be correct and its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio does not change, what does management expect its stock price to be one year from now? (Hint: If you choose to compute the firms price/earnings ratio, round its value to four decimal places.)

a) $21.42 per share

b) $23.00 per share

c) $16.07 per share

d) $26.78 per share

.One year later, Blue Dog Manufacturing Corp.s stock is trading at $39.75, and the company reports its common equity value as $31,701,600. What is Blue Dog Manufacturing Corp.s market-to-book(M/B) ratio? (1.07x/22.27x/13.93x/9.29x) choose one

Can a companys stock have a negative P/E ratio? yes/no (choose one)