On the Valuation of Warrants

Abstract

This article addresses a misconception in the literature concerning the valuation of warrants when a warrant is treated as an option on the stock of the underlying firm. The magnitude and timing of the impact of a warrant issue on the underlying stock price and on the wealth of the firm's share-holders is examined within a continuous-time arbitrage-free economy. In particular, it is shown that the stock price of the underlying firm conditionally reflects dilution at all times following the announcement of a warrant issue and notwithstanding that the warrants might not even have been issued yet. Valuing a warrant or convertible security as an option on the post-announcement underlying stock p..