Summary of WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Abstract (2024)

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Summary of WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Abstract
Summary of WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Abstract (1)

Weighted Average Cost of Capital

Summary of WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Abstract (2)

Investment analysis

Summary of WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Abstract


Corporations createvalue for shareholders by earning a return on the invested capital that is above the cost of that capital.WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital) is an expression of this cost and is used to see if certain intended investments or strategies or projects or purchases are worthwhile to undertake.

WACC is expressed as a percentage, like interest. So for example if a company works with a WACC of 12%, than this means that only (and all) investments should be made that give a return higher than the WACC of 12%.

The cost of capital for any investment, whether for an entire company or for a project, is the rate of return capital providers would expect to receive if they would invest their capital elsewhere. In other words, the cost of capital is an opportunity cost.

How can the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) be calculated?

The easy part of WACC is the debt part of it. In most cases it is clear how much a company has to pay their bankers or bondholders for debt finance. More elusive however, is the cost of equity finance. Normally, the cost of equity finance is higher than the cost debt finance, because the cost of equity involves a risk premium. Calculating this risk premium is one thing that makes calculating WACC complicated.

Another important complication is which mix of debt and equity should be used to maximize shareholder value (This is what "Weighted" means in WACC).

Finally, also the corporate tax rate is important, because normally interest payments are tax-deductible.

Formula WACC Calculation

debt / TF (cost of debt)(1-Tax)

+ equity/ TF (cost of equity)

--------------------------------------------------

WACC

In this formula,

* TF means Total Financing. Total Financing consists of the sum of the Market values of debt and equity finance. An issue with TF is whether, and under what circ*mstances, it should include current liabilities, such as trade credit. In valuing a company this is important, because: a) trade credit is used aggressively by many companies, which in turn affects their business credit, b) there is an interest (or financing) charge for such use, and c) trade credit can be quite a large sum on the balance sheet.

* Tax stands for the Corporate Tax Rate.

Example: suppose this company:

The Market value of debt = € 300 million

The Market value of equity = € 400 million

The Cost of debt = 8%

The Corporate Tax rate = 35%

The Cost of equity is 18%

The WACC of this company is:

300:700*8%*(1-35%)

+ 400:700*18%

--------------------------------------------------

12,5% (WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital)

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Summary of WACC - Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Abstract (2024)

FAQs

What is an overview of the weighted average cost of capital WACC? ›

Weighted average cost of capital (WACC) represents a company's average after-tax cost of capital from all sources, including common stock, preferred stock, bonds, and other forms of debt. As such, WACC is the average rate that a company expects to pay to finance its business.

What is the WACC for dummies? ›

A company's weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the amount of money it must pay to finance its operations. WACC is similar to the required rate of return (RRR) because a company's WACC is how much shareholders and lenders require from the company in exchange for their investment.

What is the conclusion of the weighted average cost of capital? ›

Conclusion. In conclusion, the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is an important tool for assessing a company's overall cost of capital and for making investment decisions.

What is the weighted average cost of capital WACC quizlet? ›

The weighted average cost of capital is the weighted average of the after-tax cost of debt, the cost of preferred stock, and the cost of common equity. Because the cost of debt capital is computed on an after-tax basis, an increase in the tax rate will decrease the marginal cost of debt capital.

Is higher WACC good or bad? ›

Weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is a key metric that shows a company's cost of capital across its debt and equity. If a company's WACC is elevated, the cost of financing for the company is higher, which is usually an indication of greater risk.

What is the importance of weighted average cost of capital? ›

WACC can be used as a hurdle rate against which to assess ROIC performance. It also plays a key role in economic value-added (EVA) calculations. Investors use WACC as a tool to decide whether to invest. The WACC represents the minimum rate of return at which a company produces value for its investors.

What is WACC with an appropriate example? ›

WACC represents the average cost a company bears for its funding sources, including equity, debt, and sometimes preferred stock. Understanding this number gives investors and analysts a sense of the cost involved in sustaining and expanding business activities.

Is a low WACC good or bad? ›

In general, a lower WACC represents a business with a high level of safety and less risk. Determining whether the WACC is good or bad depends on the industry in which the business operates.

What is the cost of capital in simple words? ›

What Is Cost of Capital? Cost of capital is the minimum rate of return or profit a company must earn before generating value. It's calculated by a business's accounting department to determine financial risk and whether an investment is justified.

What does a high WACC mean? ›

Higher WACC ratios generally indicate that a business is a riskier investment, while a lower WACC tends to correlate with more stable business investments.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of WACC? ›

The advantages and disadvantages of using the WACC model are not mentioned in the provided information. Advantages of using the WACC model include ease of implementation and presentation to management. Disadvantages include increased mathematical complexity and the need for accurate estimation of volatility.

What does the weighted average cost of capital determine? ›

The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) calculates a company's cost of capital, proportionately weighing its use of debt and equity financing.

How do you calculate the weighted average cost of capital WACC at market value? ›

Unlike measuring the costs of capital, the WACC takes the weighted average for each source of capital for which a company is liable. You can calculate WACC by applying the formula:WACC = [(E/V) x Re] + [(D/V) x Rd x (1 - Tc)], where: E = equity market value.

What is the weighted average cost of capital and interest rates? ›

The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the average after-tax cost of a company's various capital sources. The interest rate paid by the firm equals the risk-free rate plus the default premium for the firm.

What does WACC stand for in Quizlet? ›

What does WACC stand for? Weighted average cost of capital.

What does WACC stand for weighted average cost of capital and it is maybe best explained as quizlet? ›

WACC stands for weighted average cost of capital, and it is maybe best explained as... a company's cost of debt weighted by how much debt it carries added to the company's cost of equity weighted by how much equity it uses to finance assets.

What is the weighted average cost? ›

What is Weighted Average Cost (WAC)? In accounting, the Weighted Average Cost (WAC) method of inventory valuation uses a weighted average to determine the amount that goes into COGS and inventory. The weighted average cost method divides the cost of goods available for sale by the number of units available for sale.

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