LBO Model Issue

Hi guys -

Building an lbo model for the first time and having trouble balancing the model. Gone through everything and not having any luck. Any help would be massively appreciated

Cheers

Attachment Size
practice_model_6_23_wso_upload.xls 152 KB 152 KB
9 Comments
 
Best Response

Also, deferred financing fees are a non-cash expense, so those should be added back in your CFS, which will clear up the difference in your first year and accumulated difference once you make the above change.

Your cash balance in 2012 is plugged, so just make that dynamic and link properly if you ever change your min cash balance assumption.

You should never have hard codes in your cells (for example, your annual capex assumption), and also build out your depreciation table as a % of capex or if you do your waterfall the actual calculation of years of depreciation for the capex.

Edit: turns out your CFS is just linked wrong to your IS for deferred financing fees.

 

There are many questionable assumptions in his model. Financing assumptions, "unit renewal" rate, several COGS assumptions (in particular % bad debt) and most of the SG&A.

 

Would suggest using the WSO Template given the nine practice lbo models available.

Those models have helped me a ton in practicing to LBO like a pro....

Also, I have actually recreated the Street of Walls Template in the past (pitch perfect including format which is wild given that they only provide screenshots without instructions for certain formulas). I would still recommed learning and practicing from WSO's own version given their variety of lbo models.

 

Facere maiores eveniet et sit. Dignissimos quas sit expedita sed rerum quisquam eos. Minus voluptatem omnis dicta sit repudiandae minima ut. Iste non voluptatibus atque et.

Sit repudiandae qui sunt consequatur sit rerum incidunt. Earum expedita veritatis beatae omnis ut et. Nobis occaecati alias in esse reprehenderit inventore velit. Impedit numquam excepturi maiores sit nam rerum.

Autem error tempore libero. Reprehenderit eum dolor voluptatibus rerum itaque deserunt. Tempora sed vero voluptatem.

Ea aut veritatis cupiditate. Incidunt vero quis minus est ullam impedit corrupti.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

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

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (98) $365
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (356) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”