Cost of Equity - Bond Yield Plus Risk Premium

Corporate Finance Fundamentals · 3:39

Listen on 93

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
When you need to find the cost of equity
There's a method that works quite easily
Take your company's bond yield as your base
Then add a premium to find your place
The risk that equity holders must bear
Above the bondholders' return so fair

[Chorus]
Bond yield plus the risk premium
That's the way to calculate them
Equity costs more than debt you see
Bond yield plus risk premium equals equity
Remember this simple equation
For your valuation station

[Verse 2]
Bondholders get paid before the shares
So equity holders face greater cares
The premium reflects this extra risk
Usually three to five percent's the gist
Look at market data for your guide
Historical spreads help you decide

[Chorus]
Bond yield plus the risk premium
That's the way to calculate them
Equity costs more than debt you see
Bond yield plus risk premium equals equity
Remember this simple equation
For your valuation station

[Bridge]
Start with bonds, they're safer ground
Add the risk that can be found
In the equity market's uncertainty
That's your cost of equity

[Verse 3]
This approach works best when bonds are traded
Market yields easily calculated
If your company has debt outstanding
This method's really quite outstanding
Simple math with market insight
Gets your cost of equity right

[Chorus]
Bond yield plus the risk premium
That's the way to calculate them
Equity costs more than debt you see
Bond yield plus risk premium equals equity
Remember this simple equation
For your valuation station

[Outro]
When CAPM seems too complex to use
This bond approach clears up the blues
Bond yield plus risk premium
Your equity cost solution

← Cost of Equity - Dividend Discount Model | Understanding and Estimating Beta →