and its Application to Enterprise Valuation The value of a firm must equal the value of the claims on its assets. In practice, this is generally expressed as the value FIRM = value DEBT + value EQUITY. Similarly, in a balance sheet prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), assets = liabilities and equity. By comparison, an economic balance sheet is constructed using market values rather than amounts reported in accordance with GAAP, items included are classified as operating, non-operating, debt or equity-related rather than current or long-term, asset or liability, and it includes economic assets and liabilities…