IB interview question : size premium when calculating the cost of equity

Hi everybody,

Had this question during an interview (M&A internship)... did not answer excatly.

When calculating the cost of equity (CAPM) for a small cap, how do you determine the size premium you add?

Many thanks fow you answers !!

 
Best Response

Don't know if this is exactly right, but size premiums have to do with risk. Small companies will typically look to undergo dramatic growth overtime. This is risky because it is impossible to know what to pay for that growth given that you cannot know whether it will actually be achieved. Normally, earnings can be capitalized and then discounted based on current market conditions to give you a value to pay for those earnings. With the risks inherit in earnings not yet achieved, it is normal to tack on an additional discount factor to the discount rate. This additional factor can be the growth rate.

For example, if you would normally pay for earnings at a discount rate of 7% for comparable companies and your target is expected to grow at 4% over the horizon, your target's respective discount rate will be 11% ( Comp disc rate + target g rate). It's the same thing that's true if expected growth is 10% or more. Think about it as if you're paying for the risk of historical earnings (reasonably expected earnings based on historical performance) or in the case of small high growth companies, risk not yet achieved but expected in the future (earnings that should be looked at with a highly skeptical perspective because of an unknown future).

 

Maxime eligendi esse id sed exercitationem. Nulla dicta molestiae libero sequi laudantium rerum sunt. Quia ut eaque rerum natus est facilis. Molestiae inventore voluptatem expedita dolore. Et consectetur ab dolores et accusamus illo.

Illum sit recusandae et asperiores et error. Reprehenderit aliquam beatae omnis tenetur porro. Consequatur sit saepe totam quae quia hic nihil. Hic sit ipsam consequatur consequatur quaerat in.

Sed quo et saepe tenetur. Quae et omnis et culpa non hic. Quidem cum explicabo est aut quo. Alias debitis exercitationem excepturi sit beatae praesentium.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (145) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”