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Introduction to Finance

What does the firm's funding really cost?

Estimate equity and debt costs, build the WACC from market values, then see how leverage, taxes and bankruptcy costs affect the funding mix and project value.

Funding and required returns · Step 1 of 14

The business on one side, its investors on the other

A firm worth $1 million: market values
Assets
Business assets$1M
Total assets$1M
Liabilities and capital
Debt, D$400k
Equity, E$600k
Total liabilities and capital$1M
Market funding
Firm: total $1M
DebtEquity
Debt: $400kEquity: $600k
Firm, total $1M; Debt $400k, Equity $600k
Capital structure is the mix of debt and equity used to finance a firm. Debt is money borrowed; equity is the owners’ claim. This simplified balance sheet uses market values: what the claims are worth today. V is the total value, D is debt and E is equity.
Try it: Move the debt amount. Watch how the two claims divide the value.
Market debt ($)$400k
Firm value
$1M
Debt
$400k
Equity
$600k
V = D + E.
E = (1,000,000 − 400,000) = $600,000.00.
Debt share = (400,000 ÷ 1,000,000) = 40.00%.
Check yourself
Book values must be used to weight debt and equity in WACC.

Final coming up and the WACC still will not come out right?

Bring your problem sets. We work through them together until every type feels routine.

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