Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework

In this paper we propose an analytical solution to the circularity problem between value and cost of capital. Our solution is derived starting from a central principle of finance that relates value today to value, cash flow, and the discount rate for next period. We present a general formulation wit...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Felipe Mejía-Peláez, Ignacio Vélez-Pareja
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia 2011-12-01
Series:Innovar: Revista de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales
Subjects:
Online Access:http://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/innovar/article/view/35412
_version_ 1828416085656862720
author Felipe Mejía-Peláez
Ignacio Vélez-Pareja
author_facet Felipe Mejía-Peláez
Ignacio Vélez-Pareja
author_sort Felipe Mejía-Peláez
collection DOAJ
description In this paper we propose an analytical solution to the circularity problem between value and cost of capital. Our solution is derived starting from a central principle of finance that relates value today to value, cash flow, and the discount rate for next period. We present a general formulation without circularity for the equity value (E), cost of levered equity (Ke), levered firm value (V), and the weighted average cost of capital (WACC). We furthermore compare the results obtained from these formulas with the results of the application of the Adjusted Present Value approach (no circularity) and the iterative solution of circularity based upon the iteration feature of a spreadsheet, concluding that all methods yield exactly the same answer. The advantage of this solution is that it avoids problems such as using manual methods (i.e., the popular “Rolling WACC”) ignoring the circularity issue, setting a target leverage (usually constant) with the inconsistencies that result from it, the wrong use of book values, or attributing the discrepancies in values to rounding errors.
first_indexed 2024-12-10T13:57:46Z
format Article
id doaj.art-051c430852f14cdd86c891ad4141c0d8
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0121-5051
2248-6968
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-10T13:57:46Z
publishDate 2011-12-01
publisher Universidad Nacional de Colombia
record_format Article
series Innovar: Revista de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales
spelling doaj.art-051c430852f14cdd86c891ad4141c0d82022-12-22T01:45:54ZengUniversidad Nacional de ColombiaInnovar: Revista de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales0121-50512248-69682011-12-0121425568Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation frameworkFelipe Mejía-PeláezIgnacio Vélez-Pareja0Universidad Tecnológica de BolívarIn this paper we propose an analytical solution to the circularity problem between value and cost of capital. Our solution is derived starting from a central principle of finance that relates value today to value, cash flow, and the discount rate for next period. We present a general formulation without circularity for the equity value (E), cost of levered equity (Ke), levered firm value (V), and the weighted average cost of capital (WACC). We furthermore compare the results obtained from these formulas with the results of the application of the Adjusted Present Value approach (no circularity) and the iterative solution of circularity based upon the iteration feature of a spreadsheet, concluding that all methods yield exactly the same answer. The advantage of this solution is that it avoids problems such as using manual methods (i.e., the popular “Rolling WACC”) ignoring the circularity issue, setting a target leverage (usually constant) with the inconsistencies that result from it, the wrong use of book values, or attributing the discrepancies in values to rounding errors.http://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/innovar/article/view/35412Firm valuationcost of capitalcash flowsfree cash flowcapital cash flowWACCcircularity.
spellingShingle Felipe Mejía-Peláez
Ignacio Vélez-Pareja
Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
Innovar: Revista de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales
Firm valuation
cost of capital
cash flows
free cash flow
capital cash flow
WACC
circularity.
title Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
title_full Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
title_fullStr Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
title_full_unstemmed Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
title_short Analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
title_sort analytical solution to the circularity problem in the discounted cash flow valuation framework
topic Firm valuation
cost of capital
cash flows
free cash flow
capital cash flow
WACC
circularity.
url http://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/innovar/article/view/35412
work_keys_str_mv AT felipemejiapelaez analyticalsolutiontothecircularityprobleminthediscountedcashflowvaluationframework
AT ignaciovelezpareja analyticalsolutiontothecircularityprobleminthediscountedcashflowvaluationframework