Patent ID: 7493278

Claim:
A method implemented by a programmed computer system for characterizing earnings of an entity, comprising: obtaining, at the computer system, data associated with the entity including a number of common shares outstanding, a value of earnings, a value of dividends per share, a value of coupon payments, and a change in the effective number of common shares outstanding, which change in the effective number of common shares outstanding reflects the possibility, based upon an economically reasonable analysis in light of market conditions including a value of a stock price associated with the entity, of conversion of a convertible security; iteratively calculating, with the computer system, a plurality of values of earnings per share associated with the entity based upon the obtained data and by iteratively changing the value of the stock price associated with the entity, wherein each value of earnings per share is calculated at least in part using the formula: EPS = DPS 0 + Earnings 0 - N o ⁢ x ⁢ ⁢ DPS 0 - Coupon N o + Δ ⁢ ⁢ N eff , wherein: i) Earnings 0 equals the obtained value of earnings, ii) N 0 equals the obtained number of common shares outstanding, iii) DPS 0 equals the obtained value of dividends per share, iv) Coupon equals the obtained value of coupon payments, and v) ΔN eff equals the obtained change in the effective number of common shares outstanding, based at least in part upon each iteratively changed value of the stock price associated with the entity, iteratively calculating, with the computer system, a plurality of values of earnings per share risk associated with the entity, wherein the values of earnings per share risk are based upon at least a plurality of different numbers of shares outstanding and an amount of earnings volatility; recording, with the computer system, the calculated earnings per share values associated with the entity and the calculated earnings per share risk values associated with the entity; and outputting, with the computer system, the recorded calculated earnings per share values associated with the entity and the recorded calculated earnings per share risk values associated with the entity.