Practice Problem – Cost of Equity

Practice Question

Cases in Finance
Cost of Capital
Cost of Equity
True or False

In a DCF analysis, the cost of capital is usually calculated using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM).

Answer +
TRUE
Step-by-step solutions +
The cost of capital represents the minimum return that an investment must generate to justify its risk.

In Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis, the cost of equity is often derived using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), which is calculated as:
Cost of Equity = Risk-Free Rate + Beta × Market Risk Premium

CAPM provides a systematic way to estimate the expected return on equity based on market conditions and the company's specific risk (beta), making it a core input in DCF valuations.