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WACC Calculator

Find your weighted average cost of capital — the blended, after-tax discount rate for valuation.

Capital-Structure Weighted

Blends the cost of equity and debt by their market weights

After-Tax Cost of Debt

Applies the interest tax shield automatically

Ready for a DCF

Outputs the exact discount rate a DCF valuation needs

Weighted Average Cost of Capital
Enter the capital structure and the cost of each source to find the blended, after-tax cost of capital.
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How WACC Works

The WACC Formula

WACC = (E/V × Rₑ) + (D/V × R_d × (1 − T))

E and D are the market values of equity and debt, V = E + D, Rₑ is the cost of equity, R_d is the pre-tax cost of debt, and T is the corporate tax rate. Each source is weighted by its share of total capital.

Why Debt Looks Cheaper

Interest is tax-deductible, so debt carries a tax shield: a 5% pre-tax cost of debt at a 25% tax rate is only 3.75% after tax. That is why adding moderate debt can lower WACC — though too much debt raises financial risk and pushes both costs back up.

Where the Inputs Come From

Cost of Equity

Usually estimated with the CAPM: risk-free rate plus beta times the equity risk premium. It is the return shareholders demand for the risk they bear.

Cost of Debt

The yield the company pays on its borrowings — often the yield-to-maturity on its bonds or the rate on recent loans. Use the market rate, not the coupon on old debt.

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Frequently Asked Questions