Berger and Ofek (1995) confirm recent evidence by Lang and Stulz (1994) of a value loss from diversification in the 1980s, and use segment-level data to estimate the magnitude of the loss. They find that, during 1986-1991, the average diversified firm destroyed about 15% of the value its lines...

We investigate whether investors price and the real option to abandon the firm for its liquidation value. Theory prices this real option as an American put with both a stochastic strike price (liquidation value) and a stochastic value of the underlying security (the value of cash flows). The...