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A general formula for the WACC: A correction

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  • Fernandez, Pablo

    (IESE Business School)

Abstract

This paper corrects some of the equations of Farber, Gillet and Szafarz (2006). The WACC is a discount rate widely used in corporate finance. However, correctly calculating the WACC involves properly calculating the value of tax shields, and the value of tax shields depends on the company's debt policy. Many authors [e.g. Inselbag and Kaufold (1997), Booth (2002), Cooper and Nyborg (2006), Farber, Gillet and Szafarz (2006)] have stated that debt policy can only be implemented by maintaining a fixed market-value debt ratio (Miles-Ezzell's assumption) or a fixed dollar amount of debt (Modigliani-Miller's assumption).

Suggested Citation

  • Fernandez, Pablo, 2006. "A general formula for the WACC: A correction," IESE Research Papers D/663, IESE Business School.
  • Handle: RePEc:ebg:iesewp:d-0663
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    File URL: http://www.iese.edu/research/pdfs/DI-0663-E.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miles, James A & Ezzell, John R, 1985. "Reformulating Tax Shield Valuation: A Note," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 40(5), pages 1485-1492, December.
    2. Cooper, Ian A. & Nyborg, Kjell G., 2006. "The value of tax shields IS equal to the present value of tax shields," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(1), pages 215-225, July.
    3. Enrique R. Arzac & Lawrence R. Glosten, 2005. "A Reconsideration of Tax Shield Valuation," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 11(4), pages 453-461, September.
    4. André Farber & Roland Gillet & Ariane Szafarz, 2005. "A general formula for the WACC," Working Papers CEB 05-012.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Laurence Booth, 2002. "Finding Value Where None Exists: Pitfalls In Using Adjusted Present Value," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 15(1), pages 95-104, March.
    6. Richard S Ruback, 2002. "Capital Cash Flows: A Simple Approach to Valuing Risky Cash Flows," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 31(2), Summer.
    7. Myers, Stewart C, 1974. "Interactions of Corporate Financing and Investment Decisions-Implications for Capital Budgeting," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 29(1), pages 1-25, March.
    8. Isik Inselbag & Howard Kaufold, 1997. "Two Dcf Approaches For Valuing Companies Under Alternative Financing Strategies (And How To Choose Between Them)," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 10(1), pages 114-122, March.
    9. Lewellen, Wilbur G. & Emery, Douglas R., 1986. "Corporate Debt Management and the Value of the Firm," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(4), pages 415-426, December.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. André Farber & Roland Gillet & Ariane Szafarz, 2007. "A general formula for the WACC: a reply," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/6061, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Peter Brusov & Tatiana Filatova & Natali Orekhova & Veniamin Kulik & She-I Chang & George Lin, 2021. "Generalization of the Modigliani–Miller Theory for the Case of Variable Profit," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Peter Brusov & Tatiana Filatova, 2021. "The Modigliani–Miller Theory with Arbitrary Frequency of Payment of Tax on Profit," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-25, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    required return to equity; value of tax shields; company valuation; cost of equity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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