What is a good DCF rate?

Asked by: Ms. Aida Schoen  |  Last update: March 2, 2025
Score: 5/5 (45 votes)

For SaaS companies using DCF to calculate a more accurate customer lifetime value (LTV), we suggest using the following discount rates: 10% for public companies. 15% for private companies that are scaling predictably (say above $10m in ARR, and growing greater than 40% year on year)

What is a good growth rate for DCF?

The long-term growth rate assumption should generally range between 2% to 4% to reflect a realistic, sustainable rate.

Is 10% a good discount rate?

A discount rate of 10% is commonly used, as it is generally around the return that firms make on their other investments.

Is a higher or lower DCF better?

The rule of thumb for investors is that a stock is considered to have good potential if the DCF analysis value is higher than the current value, or price, of the shares. DCF relies on future assumptions about growth and discount rates, which can vary greatly. It's less useful for short-term and speculative investments.

What tax rate should I use in a DCF?

Using the marginal tax rate in forecasting cashflows is alright if the company is large. However, if the company's income is not significantly larger than the highest tax bracket, it may be more appropriate to use the effective tax rate. The effective tax rate is usually lower (not always) than the marginal tax rate.

What is a Discounted Cash Flow - DCF?

19 related questions found

What rate should I use for DCF?

Conclusion. For SaaS companies using DCF to calculate a more accurate customer lifetime value (LTV), we suggest using the following discount rates: 10% for public companies. 15% for private companies that are scaling predictably (say above $10m in ARR, and growing greater than 40% year on year)

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.

When should you not use a DCF?

We do not use a DCF if the company has unstable or unpredictable cash flows (tech or bio-tech start-up) or when debt and working capital serve a fundamentally different role.

Which is better NPV or DCF?

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.

Is 7% a good discount rate?

7% Discount Rate - The “Investment Rate”

This is the rate of return before taxes, but is still generally considered as a leading discount rate for conducting cost-benefit analysis.

What discount rate does Warren Buffett use?

Buffett's choice to discount by the treasury rate was his minimum required return. He also used the treasury rate as a measuring stick for all businesses, rather than assigning a different rate for different businesses.

Is a 12% discount rate high?

For a smaller, riskier company, this could be higher; however, for a larger, less risky company with consistent history of strong earnings, this could be lower. An equity discount rate range of 12% to 20%, give or take, is likely to be considered reasonable in a business valuation.

How accurate is DCF valuation?

While the discounted cash flow (DCF) methodology is the most rigorous and financially sound for business valuation, it does have several significant limitations, namely: Extreme sensitivity to certain input assumptions. Uncertainty in calculating the terminal value of the company.

What if WACC is less than growth?

WACC is used to evaluate the performance of a company. If a company's returns are less than its WACC, the company is not profitable. WACC is highly industry-specific, and the calculation garners the most value when compared across similar companies in the same industry.

Is a 5% growth rate good?

Good economic growth can vary, but typically falls within two to four percent. This means that even if a company is only growing five percent a year, it could still have a good growth rate compared to other businesses. A good growth rate isn't always tied to general economic conditions.

What growth rate to use for DCF?

The perpetuity growth rate is typically between the historical inflation rate of 2-3% and the historical GDP growth rate of 4-5%. If you assume a perpetuity growth rate in excess of 5%, you are basically saying that you expect the company's growth to outpace the economy's growth forever.

What is the biggest drawback of the DCF?

The main drawback of DCF analysis is that it's easily prone to errors, bad assumptions, and overconfidence in knowing what a company is actually “worth”.

Can you use DCF to value a company?

Discounted cash flow, often abbreviated as DCF, can help you learn how to value a small business by calculating the current value of business by considering its expected earnings.

What is the DCF rate?

DCF is used to estimate the value of an investment based on its expected future cash flows. Based on the concept of the time value of money, DCF analysis helps assess the viability of a project or investment by calculating the present value of expected future cash flows using a discount rate.

What does DCF check for?

The purpose of the screening process is to gather sufficient information to determine whether the allegation meets the Department's criteria for suspected abuse and/or neglect, whether there is immediate danger to the safety of a child, whether DCF involvement is warranted, and how best to respond.

Does DCF give you enterprise value?

A DCF analysis yields the overall value of a business (i.e. enterprise value), including both debt and equity.

What is the 20% withholding rule?

A payer must withhold 20% of an eligible rollover distribution unless the payee elected to have the distribution paid in a direct rollover to an eligible retirement plan, including an IRA. In the case of a payee who does not elect such a direct rollover, the payee cannot elect no withholding on the distribution.

What is the 90% withholding rule?

Estimated tax payment safe harbor details

The IRS will not charge you an underpayment penalty if: You pay at least 90% of the tax you owe for the current year, or 100% of the tax you owed for the previous tax year, or. You owe less than $1,000 in tax after subtracting withholdings and credits.

How do I know how much tax withholding should I choose?

Use the Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov. The Tax Withholding Estimator works for most employees by helping them determine whether they need to give their employer a new Form W-4. They can use their results from the estimator to help fill out the form and adjust their income tax withholding.