Mark to market definition

Mark to market is a valuation method that records an asset or liability at its current market price rather than its original cost. It is also written as MTM.

Mark to market applies to securities, derivatives, trading accounts, commodities, and loans. When the market price rises, the recorded value rises with it; when the price falls, the recorded value falls, so the books track present conditions instead of the purchase date.

Mark to market differs from book value. Book value holds an asset at its recorded historical cost, while mark to market revalues it to what the market would pay today. The method gives a more current view of profit, loss, and risk, but it can also make reported values more volatile when prices swing.

Mark to market Example

A company buys bonds for USD 100,000. At the reporting date, the same bonds trade at USD 95,000 in the market.

Under mark to market, the company records the bonds at their current value:

USD 95,000

The fall from cost to market value is:

USD 100,000 - USD 95,000 = USD 5,000

The company reports the bonds at USD 95,000, USD 5,000 below the original cost.