In using comparable firm multiples, one factor that is typically not taken into account is the size of the public float.That is, if a scarcity premium exists, then the smaller the fraction of the shares outstanding that are not closely held, the higher the price should be In other words, if the supply of shares to the public is smaller, the demand for the stock will result in a higher price.At this point, the academic literature is devoid of direct tests to see whether this is in fact a relevant valuation factor, although the negative stock returns when lockup provisions expire is consistent with the notion that the size of the public float does matter.