Authors Joel Stern and John Shiely advocate a total revolution in the way
companies are valued and measured. They make a
convincing case for using EVA ("Economic Value Added") as the primary measure of corporate
performance. The authors argue that the SEC’s yardstick for corporate reporting, the "Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures" (GAAP), was designed to protect lenders by depicting a company’s liquidation value. As such, GAAP provides an overly conservative and only marginally accurate picture of financial health. EVA principles - at least according to the consultants who advise companies on using them - evaluate intangible assets more realistically and correspond more closely to stock market performance. getAbstract.com recommends this book to executives who seek improved corporate financial and market performance, and to investors interested in understanding how value is created and maintained.