This technical note compares two methods of treating debt usage in discounted-cash-flow valuation of investment projects or companies. The note illustrates that the Weighted Average Cost of Capital approach (WACC) and the Equity Residual approach (ER) yield equivalent results if consistent...

This paper provides evidence that the equity market risk premium is not constant and draws implications for estimating the cost of capital. Using data from US markets, we demonstrate that the equity market risk premium varies substantially over time. Moreover, these variations are linked to...

Theories on cost of capital have been around for decades. Unfortunately for practice, the academic discussions typically stop at a high level of generality, leaving important questions for application unanswered. Recent upheavals in financial markets have only made the practitioner's task more...

This paper provides evidence the equity market risk premium is not constant and draws implications for estimating the cost of capital. Using data from US markets, we demonstrate that the equity market risk premium varies substantially over time. Moreover, these variations are linked to changes...

Theories on cost of capital have been around for decades. Unfortunately for practice, the academic discussions typically stop at a high level of generality, leaving important questions for application unanswered. Recent upheavals in financial markets have only made the practitioner's task more...