Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) Calculator

Calculate Your Weighted Average Cost of Capital

Use this calculator to determine your company's Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC). Enter the required financial information to evaluate your company's overall cost of capital.

How to Calculate Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)

The Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is a crucial financial metric used to determine a company's cost of capital. It represents the average rate a company is expected to pay to finance its assets, taking into account both equity and debt financing. Understanding how to calculate WACC is essential for financial analysts, investors, and corporate finance professionals in making informed decisions about capital structure and investment opportunities.

WACC Formula

The formula for calculating WACC is:

$$\text{WACC} = (E / V) \times R_e + (D / V) \times R_d \times (1 - T_c)$$

Where:

  • E = Market value of equity
  • D = Market value of debt
  • V = Total market value of financing (E + D)
  • R_e = Cost of equity
  • R_d = Cost of debt
  • T_c = Corporate tax rate

Calculation Steps

  1. Determine the market value of equity (E) and debt (D).
  2. Calculate the weight of equity (E / V) and weight of debt (D / V).
  3. Estimate the cost of equity (R_e) using methods like CAPM.
  4. Determine the cost of debt (R_d) based on the company's borrowing rate.
  5. Identify the corporate tax rate (T_c).
  6. Apply the WACC formula to calculate the weighted average cost of capital.

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the WACC for a company with the following data:

  • Market value of equity (E) = $800 million
  • Market value of debt (D) = $200 million
  • Cost of equity (R_e) = 12%
  • Cost of debt (R_d) = 6%
  • Corporate tax rate (T_c) = 30%

Step 1: Calculate total market value of financing

$$V = E + D = 800 + 200 = 1000 \text{ million}$$

Step 2: Calculate weights of equity and debt

$$\text{Weight of Equity} = E / V = 800 / 1000 = 0.8 \text{ or } 80\%$$

$$\text{Weight of Debt} = D / V = 200 / 1000 = 0.2 \text{ or } 20\%$$

Step 3: Apply the WACC formula

$$\text{WACC} = 0.8 \times 12\% + 0.2 \times 6\% \times (1 - 30\%)$$

$$\text{WACC} = 9.6\% + 0.84\% = 10.44\%$$

Therefore, the Weighted Average Cost of Capital for this company is 10.44%.

Visual Representation

Equity (80%) Debt (20%) WACC (10.44%) Capital Structure Percentage (%)

This diagram illustrates the capital structure of the company and its WACC. The blue bar represents the weight of equity (80%), the green bar represents the weight of debt (20%), and the red dashed line indicates the WACC (10.44%).