The estimated proceeds from selling all of a company's assets and settling all liabilities — the absolute floor value of a business in a forced sale scenario.
Deeper Explanation
Graham's liquidation value formula: cash at par + receivables at 75–80% + inventory at 50–66% + fixed assets at 15–50% (depending on specificity) − all liabilities. The haircuts reflect forced-sale conditions where assets must be disposed quickly at below-market prices. Any stock trading below liquidation value is, by definition, cheaper than the value of its assets in a wind-down — providing extraordinary downside protection. Graham found liquidation value stocks in abundance during the 1930s depression; they are rare in normal markets but appear in specific situations: panics, neglected micro-caps, and businesses in sectors experiencing forced institutional selling.
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