Valuing banks and financial institutions

What are the main differences between valuing banks and regular industrial companies?

Do you mostly use FCFE, FCFF, or DDM and why?

I would greatly appreciate your help in understanding the main implications of valuing banks.

 
Best Response

There are many differences, but the main ones include the use & classification of debt. Interest expense/income are normal parts of business operations and should therefore be included in your cash flows.

With all valuations, you want to reflect the core operating cash flows of a business. For banks and financial institutions, this happens to include interest expense/income.

Having said this, you obviously don't want to use FCFF since it excludes debt. Instead, use either the DDM or the FCFE models. The DDM model is easier to use since you will not have to explicitly estimate reinvestment needs in FCFE.

The same thing goes for multiples. Don't use EBITDA multiples since they do not represent relevant measures of cash flows for banks. Instead, focus on FCFE and earnings multiples (P/E, P/Book, etc)

Hope that helps

 

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