Evolution of Earnings-to-price Ratios: International Evidence

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the pattern of historical evolution of international earnings-to-price ratios for a sample of 17 developed markets over the period 1980-2008. Using a measure of distance between earnings-to-price ratios of international stock markets, we find that earnings-to-price ratios of 17 markets have significantly converged toward each other during the sample period. Specifically, the average distance for our sample markets has decreased by about 70. % during this period. Our analysis indicates that the convergence in earnings-to-price ratios reflects increasing capital market integration rather than more alignment in industrial structure among these markets. © 2010.