WACC Calculator - Weighted Average Cost of Capital Free

Free WACC calculator to find your company

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Wacc Calculator
Quick Converter Tool

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Calculate your company's Weighted Average Cost of Capital instantly. Essential for DCF valuation, capital budgeting, and investment decisions.

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📈 Enter Your Financials

$
Outstanding loans, bonds, and other debt obligations
$
Market cap or estimated equity value
%
Average interest rate on your debt
%
Expected return required by shareholders (use CAPM)
%
Marginal corporate tax rate

📋 Your Results

--%
Weighted Average Cost of Capital
Total Capital: --
Weight of Debt (D/V): --%
Weight of Equity (E/V): --%
After-Tax Cost of Debt: --%
Debt Component: --%
Equity Component: --%
WACC = (E/V × Re) + (D/V × Rd × (1-Tc))

Where: E = Equity, D = Debt, V = Total Value (E+D), Re = Cost of Equity, Rd = Cost of Debt, Tc = Tax Rate

What is WACC?

The wacc converter computation follows established formulas verified against authoritative sources. Input your values to begin.

Think of WACC as the minimum return a company must earn on its existing asset base to satisfy its creditors, owners, and other providers of capital. If a project's expected return is higher than WACC, it creates value; if lower, it destroys value.

Cost of Debt (Rd): The effective interest rate a company pays on its debt. This includes loans, bonds, and other forms of borrowed capital. Debt interest is tax-deductible, so we use the after-tax cost: Rd × (1 - Tax Rate).

Cost of Equity (Re): The return required by equity investors. This is typically calculated using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM): Re = Risk-Free Rate + Beta × (Market Return - Risk-Free Rate).

Capital Structure Weights: The proportion of debt and equity in a company's financing. These should be based on market values, not book values.

Book values reflect historical costs, while market values reflect current investor expectations. Since WACC is used to discount future cash flows, market values provide a more accurate picture of a company's true cost of capital.

Industry Typical WACC Range Key Drivers
Utilities 5% - 7% Regulated, stable cash flows, high debt
Consumer Staples 6% - 8% Defensive, predictable demand
Healthcare 7% - 9% Mixed risk, regulatory exposure
Industrial 8% - 10% Cyclical, capital intensive
Technology 9% - 12% High growth, volatile earnings
Biotech Startups 15% - 25% High risk, pre-revenue, uncertain outcomes

DCF Valuation: WACC is the discount rate used in Discounted Cash Flow models to calculate the present value of projected free cash flows.

Capital Budgeting: Compare a project's Internal Rate of Return (IRR) to WACC. If IRR > WACC, the project creates value.

Hurdle Rate: Many companies use WACC (plus a risk premium) as the minimum acceptable return for new investments.

Performance Measurement: Compare Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) to WACC. If ROIC > WACC, the company is creating shareholder value.

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) formula is:

Cost of Equity = Risk-Free Rate + Beta × (Market Return - Risk-Free Rate)

Risk-Free Rate: Typically the 10-year Treasury bond yield (currently around 4-5%).

Beta: Measures stock volatility relative to the market. Beta of 1 = market average; >1 = more volatile; <1 = less volatile.

Market Return: Historical S&P 500 return averages around 10%.

Market Risk Premium: The difference between market return and risk-free rate, typically 4-6%.

  • Using book values: Always use market values for debt and equity weights
  • Ignoring the tax shield: Remember to adjust cost of debt for tax benefits
  • Wrong beta: Use levered beta for the company's current capital structure
  • Static WACC: WACC should be recalculated as capital structure changes
  • Ignoring preferred stock: If present, include it as a third component
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Frequently Asked Questions About Wacc Calculator

O(1) for standard operations. Results are instantaneous for practical purposes.
Boundary conditions are tested and handled according to mathematical conventions.