cost of capital

"This book is the most incisive and exhaustive treatment of this critical subject to date."
—From the Foreword by Stephen P. Lamb, Esq., Partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and former vice chancellor, Delaware Court of Chancery

"Cost of Capital, Fourth Edition treats both the theory and the practical applications from the view of corporate management and investors. It contains in-depth guidance to assist corporate executives and their staffs in estimating cost of capital like no other book does. This book will serve corporate practitioners as a comprehensive reference book on this challenging topic in these most challenging economic times."
—Robert L. Parkinson Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Office, Baxter International Inc., and former dean, School of Business Administration and Graduate School of Business, Loyola University of Chicago

"Shannon Pratt and Roger Grabowski have consolidated information on both the theoretical framework and the practical applications needed by corporate executives and their staffs in estimating cost of capital in these ever-changing economic times. It provides guidance to assist corporate practitioners from the corporate management point of view. For example, the discussions on measuring debt capacity is especially timely in this changing credit market environment. The book serves corporate practitioners as a solid reference."
—Franco Baseotto, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer, Foster Wheeler AG

"When computing the cost of capital for a firm, it can be fairly said that for every rule, there are a hundred exceptions. Shannon Pratt and Roger Grabowski should be credited with not only defining the basic rules that govern the computation of the cost of capital, but also a road map to navigate through the hundreds of exceptions. This belongs in every practitioner's collection of must-have valuation books."
—Aswath Damodaran, Professor, Stern School of Business, New York University

"Pratt and Grabowski have done it again. Just when you thought they couldn't possibly do a better job, they did. Cost of Capital, Fourth Edition is a terrific resource. It is without a doubt the most comprehensive book on this subject today. What really distinguishes this book from other such texts is the fact that it is easy to read—no small feat given the exhaustive and detailed research and complicated subject matter. This book makes you think hard about all the alternative views out there and helps move the valuation profession forward."
—James R. Hitchner, CPA/ABV/CFF, ASA, Managing Director, Financial Valuation Advisors; CEO, Valuation Products and Services; Editor in Chief, Financial Valuation and Litigation Expert; and President, Financial Consulting Group

"The Fourth Edition of Cost of Capital continues to be a 'one-stop shop' for background and current thinking on the development and uses of rates of return on capital. While it will have an appeal for a wide variety of constituents, it should serve as required reading and as a reference volume for students of finance and practitioners of business valuation. Readers will continue to find the volume to be a solid foundation for continued debate and research on the topic for many years to come."
—Anthony V. Aaron, Americas Leader, Quality and Risk Management, Ernst & Young Transaction Advisory Services

"Pratt and Grabowski went the extra mile to supplement their magnum opus by providing this Workbook and Technical Supplement. As a finance professor for many years, I know from experience that students and teachers really value supplements to textbooks. It allows the teacher to help the student to review and apply what was presented in the text, and the PowerPoints are a great service to teachers in course preparation. The website provides various worksheets that show the inner workings of the models. I enthusiastically recommend the Workbook and Technical Supplement to finance professors and teachers and their students.
—Daniel L. McConaughy, PhD, ASA, Professor of Finance, California State University, Northridge, Valuation Services, Crowe Horwath LLP

"The Workbook and Technical Supplement provides a detailed tutorial on understanding and executing the theoretical concepts explained in the Fourth Edition. This supplement is three books in one. Part One is a step-by-step tutorial on estimating certain key components of the cost of equity capital. Part Two provides a bridge between the theory and some practical applications, such as estimating the cost of capital for real property. Parts Three and Four allow the readers to test their comprehension of the concepts and identify areas for a review. It is almost as good as having Professors Pratt and Grabowski looking over your shoulder to ensure that one is both comprehending and correctly implementing the complex concepts.."
—Ashok Abbott, PhD, Associate Professor of Finance, College of Business & Economics, West Virginia University

"This text provides the most comprehensive coverage of cost of capital issues that I have seen to date. Messrs. Pratt and Grabowski have created a very accessible and lucid treatment of what most would consider an opaque subject. The Fourth Edition is especially important for its new topics as well as expanded coverage of concepts from earlier editions. Of particular interest is the review of the extreme market conditions during the 2008–2009 crisis and the effect that the unprecedented volatility had on traditional cost of capital models. For years, Pratt and Grabowski's research has informed the business valuation curriculum of the American Society of Appraisers. This book will be added to our reading list, and thousands of students worldwide will benefit from the state?of?the?art content of the Fourth Edition and the companion Workbook and Technical Supplement. Furthermore, Cost of Capital, Fourth Edition should be a mandatory part of every valuation practitioner's library. If you buy this book, you can expect it to become well worn and remain on your desk within arm's length until the publication of the Fifth Edition."
—John Barton, ASA, CPA, Chairman, Business Valuation Committee, ASA

"Cost of capital is so much more complex than it used to be. With so many additional considerations regarding each variable of the cost of capital formula, this book is a must for anyone that needs to understand or develop a discount rate. Even the most experienced practitioner will benefit from the outstanding work of Pratt and Grabowski. This book has to become part of your library."
—Gary R. Trugman, CPA/ABV, MCBA, ASA, MVS, President, Trugman Valuation Associates, Inc.

Praise for Cost of Capital in Litigation: Applications and Examples

"After revising their existing text, Cost of Capital: Applications and Examples, the authors have endeavored to expand their treatment of the subject and further explore the role of cost of capital in the courts. Addressing various methods for calculating value and different standards of value, the authors explain how courts may differ in their decisions based on the topic, jurisdiction, or available evidence. This new compilation is an important contribution to the field of valuation and will serve as an imminently helpful resource for attorneys and judges. Shannon Pratt and Roger Grabowski have provided yet another thoughtful, helpful, and excellent resource for all practitioners interested in how appraisers and courts have, and should, arrive at value."?
—From the Foreword by David Laro, Judge, United States Tax Court

"Cost of Capital in Litigation is a very helpful resource for litigators faced with valuation disputes involving an assessment of discounted cash flows. In the area with which I am most familiar—Delaware valuation law—it is thorough and insightful. More important to me, its introductory material nicely lays out the conceptual structure of the valuation issue, and the remaining chapters gather lots of information about the treatment of the issue in areas with which I am less familiar, (such as bankruptcy law and domestic property litigation)."
—Lawrence A. Hamermesh, Ruby R. Vale Professor of Corporate and Business Law, Widener University School of Law, Wilmington, Delaware

"Cost of Capital in Litigation comprehensively deals with a difficult subject, pointing out common grounds as well as differences among experts in the treatment of this subject. It is a must first stop for the uninitiated in the subject and the ultimate checklist that every practitioner should consult. Particularly useful are the chapters focusing with the eyes of experts on the treatment of cost of capital in specific areas of litigation. Notably, the authors alert the reader to those aspects of the various methods for determining cost of capital that may differentiate among the suitability of the methods based on available data, the circumstances presented, and the legal issue under consideration."
—Reeves Westbrook, Esq., Partner and Chair of the Tax Group, Covington & Burling LLP

"Shannon Pratt and Roger Grabowski have consolidated information on important theoretical valuation frameworks, practical applications, and case law needed by finance professionals, attorneys, and judges in these challenging times. Cost of Capital in Litigation serves as a solid well-written reference on cost of capital and valuation that I recommend to both practitioners and students."
—Theodore Barnhill, Professor of Finance and Director of the Global and Entrepreneurial Finance Research Institute, The George Washington University

"Valuation in litigation settings requires careful analysis, solid evidence, and defensible positions. Cost of Capital in Litigation details the nuances and subtle but critical elements of crafting a defens-ible position for experts, attorneys, and others who need to understand how and why valuation cases are won and lost."
—Hal Heaton, Professor of Finance, Marriott School of Management, Brigham Young University

"Discount rates are often crucial components in calculating damages. Even small changes in these numbers can have large effects on the amounts in dispute—and the magnitude of damages won or lost. Cost of Capital in Litigation explains the underlying economic theory. It then offers separate chapters elaborating on rate of return approaches in their widely varied forensic contexts. This helpful compendium even includes an outline of cost of capital questions for use by attorneys and their financial experts. No business litigator should be without it."
—Peter V. Baugher, Esq., Partner, Schopf & Weiss LLP