market value

American  

noun

1. the value of a business, property, etc., in terms of what it can be sold for on the open market; current value (distinguished from book value).

2. market price.

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market value British  

noun

1. the amount obtainable on the open market for the sale of property, financial assets, or goods and services Compare par value book value

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Etymology

Origin of market value

First recorded in 1685–95

Compare meaning

How does market-value compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• par value vs. market value

Example Sentences

He stands to make as much as $35 billion in stock if certain criteria are met, including if its market value hits $100 billion, the Journal previously reported.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

That’s a minimal amount of buyback relative to Berkshire’s $1 trillion market value.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

Active traders should also watch any premium or discounts an ETF has to its net asset value so they are paying fair market value, Spinelli says.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

That meant owners of S&P tracker funds missed out on Tesla’s near-eightfold rise, in which it added half a trillion dollars to its market value.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

At that point its market value was estimated to be $3 billion.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot