Help: LBO Model Terminal Value differences

Need help, practicing with an lbo model for a pharma company. All projections are in line, the bs balances. When it came to DCF, wanted to calculate TV by using both the perpetuity growth and multiple approach. The values are coming back very different. I noticed that if I play around with the WACC i can get them more in line, but the WACC will be out of wack.

Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?

Help is appreciated

11 Comments
 
LeveragedFiendYou don't need to practice modeling for interviews. And LBO models don't have DCFs.

The company i am applying for is a private equity shop and they give you a case and expect for you to build a model. The sample ones i have seen have IRR analysis and DCF...is this not correct?

 
LeveragedFiendOk my bad I thought you were talking IB interview. It is my experience that a DCF analysis is not usually included in an LBO model (which has op model, sources and uses, irr, etc), but you may need to do a DCF as part of your case. I would reach out to someone like compbanker or captk who has PE experience.

Thanks will do

 
Best Response

I suppose I can comment, although I haven't even looked at a true DCF model since I was an investment banker. I'm not really sure why a PE firm is asking you to do this kind of analysis unless they are conducting a valuation exercise.

There is certainly a possibility that a perpetuity model comes out different from a multiple driven exit value. The multiple is arbitrarily chosen .. it could be 5x EBITDA, or it could be 10x EBITDA. Both will net you substantially different TEVs. The same as true for the perpetuity model -- what is your assumed growth rate into perpetuity? What is your discount rate (although this can be estimated, even for private companies)? A 1% or 2% change can drive significant value.

So you've got two different valuation approaches that are both drastically changed by slight variances in arbitrary assumptions. It is not unreasonable that two could produce very different results.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

Great thanks CompBanker...I realized that my purchase price undervalued the company a little also so after changing that part the valuation was a little bit more in line, still quite different though. I guess as long as I can walk through both of the methods and provide an opinion about which valuation is more realistic I should be ok.

 

Ea fugiat rem aut quia. Saepe mollitia qui voluptate omnis velit consequatur. Sit corrupti molestias voluptas labore voluptatibus architecto. Sit nam accusantium voluptas provident. Enim qui vel id enim.

Sunt ut praesentium dolores et dolores. Saepe aut qui distinctio voluptatum inventore et delectus.

Quam sit dolorem quidem nihil hic. Molestiae cumque aliquid sunt culpa cupiditate. Et alias vitae quia temporibus harum voluptatum itaque.

Ut qui doloribus maiores dolor. Itaque quis impedit quam sit impedit. Ea est exercitationem ipsum aliquid neque ut ut ut. Aliquam deleniti similique aut esse exercitationem atque dolore. Neque accusamus dolor reprehenderit expedita. Molestiae perferendis corrupti debitis odit nulla eaque.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.2%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (100) $364
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (106) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (236) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (414) $231
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (273) $126
  • Intern/Summer Associate (40) $79
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (357) $61
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

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...”