How do you value a company with DCF?

Asked by: Jermain Yundt  |  Last update: August 17, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (65 votes)

The DCF method of valuation involves projecting FCF over the horizon period, calculating the terminal value at the end of that period, and discounting the projected FCFs and terminal value using the discount rate to arrive at the NPV of the total expected cash flows of the business or asset.

How do you value a company based on free cash flow?

With the FCFE valuation approach, the value of equity can be found by discounting FCFE at the required rate of return on equity, r: Equity value = ∑ t = 1 ∞ FCFE t ( 1 + r ) t . Dividing the total value of equity by the number of outstanding shares gives the value per share.

Can you use a DCF to value a private company?

How Do Professionals Value a Private Company? As mentioned above, the leading methods include the DCF and the CCA, which are sometimes used in combination to provide a valuation range. There are some challenges when valuing companies using these methods that professionals learn to overcome.

How to calculate present value of discounted cash flow?

The present value of a cash flow – i.e. the value of a future cash flow discounted back to the present date – is calculated by multiplying the cash flow for each projected year by the discount factor, which is driven by the discount rate and the matching time period.

How do you calculate enterprise value using DCF?

EV = (share price x # of shares) + total debt – cash

Learn more about minority interest in enterprise value calculations. Calculate the Net Present Value of all Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF) in a DCF Model to arrive at Enterprise Value.

How to value a company using discounted cash flow (DCF) - MoneyWeek Investment Tutorials

22 related questions found

How to do DCF valuation of a company?

The following steps are required to arrive at a DCF valuation:
  1. Project unlevered FCFs (UFCFs)
  2. Choose a discount rate.
  3. Calculate the TV.
  4. Calculate the enterprise value (EV) by discounting the projected UFCFs and TV to net present value.
  5. Calculate the equity value by subtracting net debt from EV.
  6. Review the results.

How to calculate company value?

Add up the value of everything the business owns, including all equipment and inventory. Subtract any debts or liabilities. The value of the business's balance sheet is at least a starting point for determining the business's worth.

How to calculate DCF valuation in Excel?

How to Build a DCF Model: 6-Step Framework
  1. Forecasting unlevered free cash flows. ...
  2. Calculating the terminal value. ...
  3. Discounting the cash flows to the present at the WACC. ...
  4. Add the value of non-operating assets to the present value of unlevered free cash flows. ...
  5. Subtract debt and other non-equity claims.

What is the formula for Enterprise Value?

The calculations for both Equity Value and Enterprise Value are shown above: Equity Value = Share Price * Shares Outstanding. Enterprise Value = Equity Value + Debt + Preferred Stock + Noncontrolling Interests – Cash.

What is the difference between NPV and DCF valuation?

Key Differences Between DCF and NPV. Purpose: DCF: Primarily used to determine the intrinsic value of an investment based on its expected cash flows. NPV: Used to assess the profitability of a project or investment by comparing the present value of cash inflows and outflows.

What are the disadvantages of DCF valuation?

Disadvantages. DCF Valuation is extremely sensitive to assumptions related to perpetual growth rate and discount rate. Any minor tweaking here and there, and the DCF Valuation will fluctuate wildly and the fair value so generated won't be accurate.

What multiple of EBITDA do companies sell for?

An EV/EBITDA multiple of about 8x can be considered a very broad average for public companies in some industries, while in others, it could be higher or lower than that. For private companies, it will almost always be lower, often closer to around 4x.

How to calculate valuation shark tank?

Let's look at an example. You already know that when the entrepreneurs ask for their desired investment, they've placed a value on their company. For example, asking $100,000 for a 10% stake in the company implies a $1 million valuation ($100k/10% = $1M).

How do you value a private company?

Using findings from a private company's closest public competitors, you would determine its value by using the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), also known as enterprise value multiple.

What is best way to value a company having no cash profit?

  1. 1 Asset-based valuation. One of the simplest methods to value a business with no profits is to look at its assets. ...
  2. 2 Revenue-based valuation. Another method to value a business with no profits is to look at its revenue. ...
  3. 3 Discounted cash flow valuation. ...
  4. 4 Market-based valuation. ...
  5. 5 Here's what else to consider.

What is the formula for valuation?

The formula for valuation using the market capitalization method is as below: Valuation = Share Price * Total Number of Shares. Typically, the market price of listed security factors the financial health, future earnings potential, and external factors' effect on the share price.

How do you calculate enterprise value from DCF?

In Excel, EV = NPV(r, array of FCFs for years 1 through n) + TV/(1+r)n. Always calculate the EV for a range of terminal multiples and perpetuity growth rates to illustrate the sensitivity of the DCF analysis to these critical inputs.

Why is cash removed from enterprise value?

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We subtract this amount from EV because it will reduce the acquiring costs of the target company. It is assumed that the acquirer will use the cash immediately to pay off a portion of the theoretical takeover price. Specifically, it would be immediately used to pay a dividend or buy back debt.

How to calculate market cap for private company?

Financial experts can calculate market cap by taking the number of a company's outstanding shares and multiplying it by the current share price. Market cap differs from enterprise value, as EV also accounts for a company's debts in its formula.

What is the basic DCF formula?

What is the Discounted Cash Flow DCF Formula? The discounted cash flow (DCF) formula is equal to the sum of the cash flow in each period divided by one plus the discount rate (WACC) raised to the power of the period number.

What does a DCF tell you?

Discounted cash flow (DCF) is a valuation method that estimates the value of an investment using its expected future cash flows. Analysts use DCF to determine the value of an investment today, based on projections of how much money that investment will generate in the future.

How do you present a DCF valuation?

You should present a base case, a best case, and a worst case scenario, and explain the key drivers and assumptions behind each one. You should also show how sensitive your valuation is to changes in certain variables, such as the discount rate, the growth rate, or the terminal value.

How much is a business worth with $500,000 in sales?

To find the fair market value, it is then necessary to divide that figure by the capitalization rate. Therefore, the income approach would reveal the following calculations. Projected sales are $500,000, and the capitalization rate is 25%, so the fair market value is $125,000.

What is the rule of thumb for valuing a business?

The revenue multiple is the key factor in determining a company's value. To calculate the times-revenue, divide the selling price by the company's revenue from the past 12 months. This ratio reveals how much a buyer was willing to pay for the business, expressed as a multiple of annual revenue.

How do you calculate the true value of a company?

How to Valuate a Business
  1. Book Value. One of the most straightforward methods of valuing a company is to calculate its book value using information from its balance sheet. ...
  2. Discounted Cash Flows. ...
  3. Market Capitalization. ...
  4. Enterprise Value. ...
  5. EBITDA. ...
  6. Present Value of a Growing Perpetuity Formula.