What types of companies can't be valued using the standard DCF model?

Just want to hearing other industry experts' opinions on what types of companies are not value-able using the standard DCF model (FCF-based). Currently I have the following:

  1. Banks (driven by loans/deposits)
  2. Insurance companies (driven by written premiums and claims)
  3. Private equities/other balance-sheet-based financial companies (driven by proprietary investments)
  4. REITs (driven by property assets)
  5. Business development companies (driven by value of portfolio companies)
  6. Pharma (can't assign terminal value to patents, need multiple DCF to value different drugs)
  7. Mining (finite value dependent on individual mines)
  8. Oil & gas (finite value depended on oil/gas reserves)
  9. Utilities (regulated ROI)

Are these correct and are there any other type of companies that can't be valued using the standard DCF model?

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Answer from Reddit:

You don't really value a REIT using a discounted cash flow model. A Net Asset Value (NAV) model is used instead.

Here's a primer

You look at the REIT’s existing NOI by segment, and assign a Cap Rate to each segment to determine how much each one is worth. Sum up each segment’s value to calculate how much the Gross Real Estate Assets of the REIT are worth.

Then, you value the rest of the REIT’s assets (anything non-real-estate-related + anything real estate-related but non-income-generating, such as Construction in Progress) by assuming a slight premium or discount to their balance sheet values. You exclude Accumulated Depreciation completely.

Add up the total value of all their assets.

Now, assume a slight premium or discount (or nothing at all) for all the REIT’s liabilities, and sum them up.

Subtract the modified liability value from the modified asset value to arrive at the Net Asset Value (NAV), which you can then divide by the share count to get NAV Per Share.

 

Quos tempora labore ut nisi dolore eius. Non deserunt architecto error perspiciatis aut autem voluptas. Ea qui iure voluptatem exercitationem qui. Voluptate quia ducimus quae laudantium. Exercitationem perspiciatis omnis eos et. Et cupiditate reiciendis aliquid provident.

Perferendis rerum expedita accusamus fugit. Illum sunt fuga nihil eaque ut. Aspernatur quibusdam suscipit vitae quo ut numquam dolor. Dolorem itaque inventore odit earum temporibus quia. Quis rerum et voluptatem earum et.

Ducimus praesentium qui tempora unde vel est ducimus. Recusandae autem deleniti id aspernatur sed placeat velit reiciendis. Voluptas velit debitis assumenda sit qui dicta sed. Natus enim vel rerum.

Repellat aut eius accusantium voluptas. Alias quod laboriosam occaecati dolor quae tenetur similique enim. Porro commodi libero voluptas ut voluptatum fugit. Consequatur voluptatem inventore eaque aliquid culpa. Et sed voluptatem nostrum temporibus ut fugit. Consectetur vero aliquam harum ab recusandae odit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”