Musings on Markets

AUGUST 15, 2023

In every introductory finance class, you begin with the notion of a risk-free investment, and the rate on that investment becomes the base on which you build, to get to expected returns on risky assets and investments. What is a risk free investment? Why does the risk-free rate matter?

Risk-free Rate 98

Risk-free Rate Risk Premium Treasury Start-ups 98

Brian DeChesare

AUGUST 31, 2022

The risk-free rate is higher – because investors benefit from “delaying” their eventual purchase of the underlying shares when they earn higher interest elsewhere. The risk-free rate and time to maturity also affect the Liability component (and other factors, such as the company’s credit quality, play a role).

Banking 89

Banking Risk-free Rate Equity Start-ups 89

Musings on Markets

JANUARY 12, 2021

Corporate Finance : Corporate finance is the development of the first financial principles that govern how to run a business. It is that mission that makes corporate finance the ultimate big picture class, one that everyone (entrepreneurs, investors, analysts, business observers) should take.

Corporate Finance 52

Corporate Finance Start-ups Finance Marketability 52

Musings on Markets

FEBRUARY 8, 2022

The other is the dangerous notion that measuring risk is the same as managing that risk and, in some cases, the even more insane view that it removes that risk. In corporate finance, this takes the form of a hurdle rate , a minimum acceptable return on an investment, for it to be funded.

Risk Premium 93

Risk Premium Beta Start-ups Equity 93

Musings on Markets

JANUARY 30, 2023

Returns in 2022 In my first classes in finance, as a student, I was taught that the US treasury rate was a risk free rate, with the logic being that since the US treasury could always print money, it would not default.

Treasury 97

Treasury Start-ups Risk Premium Equity 97

Musings on Markets

JANUARY 5, 2024

In my corporate finance class, I describe all decisions that companies make as falling into one of three buckets – investing decisions, financing decision and dividend decisions. Tax rates 4. Financing Flows 5. Dividend yield & payout 3. Default Spreads 3. Margins & ROC 3. Costs of equity & capital 4.

Dividends 107

Dividends Risk Premium Equity Book Value 107

Musings on Markets

JANUARY 31, 2024

In my last three posts, I looked at the macro (equity risk premiums, default spreads, risk free rates) and micro (company risk measures) that feed into the expected returns we demand on investments, and argued that these expected returns become hurdle rates for businesses, in the form of costs of equity and capital.

Equity 83

Equity Book Value Start-ups Corporate Finance 83