"Individual investors don't know price-to-book value, or any of those things," he said.

Of the 500 companies listed in the Walker's book, 23 - or nearly 5 percent - have a price-to-book value of more than 10.

The Q Ratio is a general measure of stock price levels, just like price-to-book values.

But the price represents a 17 percent premium, and a price-to-book value that analysts say is nearly three times those of Akbank's rivals.

Shares sell for 1.4 times price-to-book value, adjusted for unrealized gains, he said.

He and his associates screen stocks using various valuation measures, including yield, price/earnings ratios and price-to-book value.

And while price-to-book value here is about one, in the United States it is more like three to four.

An acquired bank will want to maximise the price-to-book value for its shareholders.

Using such valuation measures as price-to-book value, he also finds stocks priced at unattractive levels.

The students can easily offer tips on how to determine a stock's price-to-book value, or how to place a stop-loss order.