WALLSTREET PREP VALUATION QUESTIONS AND
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ANSWERS | 2024| 25 | GRADED A+
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1. Could you explain the concept of present value and how it relates to compa- ny
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valuations?: The present value concept is based on the premise that "a dollar in the
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present is worth more than a dollar in the future" due to the time value of money. The
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reason being money currently in possession has the potential to earn interest by
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being invested today.
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For intrinsic valuation methods, the value of a company will be equal to the
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sum of thepresent value of all the future cash flows it generates.Therefore, a
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company with a high valuation would imply it receives high returns on its
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invested capital by
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investingin positive net present value ("NPV") projectsconsistentlywhile havinglow
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risk associated with its cash flows.
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2. What is equity value and how is it calculated?: Often used interchangeably
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with the term market capitalization ("market cap"), equity value represents a
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com- pany's value to its equity shareholders. A company's equity value is
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calculated by multiplying its latest closing share price by its total diluted
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shares outstanding, as shown below:
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Equity Value = Latest Closing Share Price × Total Diluted Shares Outstanding
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3. How do you calculate the fully diluted number of shares outstanding?: The
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treasury stock method ("TSM") is used to calculate the fully diluted number of shares
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outstanding based on the options, warrants, and other dilutive securities that
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are currently "in-the-money" (i.e., profitable to exercise).
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
The TSM involves summing up the number of in-the-money ("ITM") options
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and warrants and then adding that figure to the number of basic shares
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outstanding. In the proceeding step, the TSM assumes the proceeds from
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exercising those dilutive options will go towards repurchasing stock at the
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current share price to reduce the net dilutive impact.
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4. What is enterprise value and how do you calculate it?: Conceptually, en-
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terprise value ("EV") represents the value of the operations of a company to
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all stakeholders including common shareholders, preferred shareholders, and
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debt lenders.
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Thus, enterprise value is considered capital structure neutral, unlike equity
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1 ll/ ll66
,value, which is affected by financing decisions.
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Enterprise value is calculated by taking the company's equity value and adding
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net debt, preferred stock, and minority interest.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
Enterprise Value = Equity Value + Net Debt + Preferred Stock + Minority Interest
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5. How do you calculate equity value from enterprise value?: To get to equity
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value from enterprise value, you would first subtract net debt, where net debt equals
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the company's gross debt and debt-like claims (e.g., preferred stock), net of
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cash,
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2 ll/ ll66
,and non-operating assets.
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Equity Value = Enterprise Value - Net Debt - Preferred Stock - Minority Interest
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6. Which line items are included in the calculation of net debt?: The calculation of
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net debt accounts for all interest-bearing debt, such as short-term and long-
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term loans and bonds, as well as non-equity financial claims such as preferred
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stock and non- controlling interests. From this gross debt amount, cash and
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other non-operating assets such as short-term investments and equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
investments are subtracted to arrive at net debt.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
Net Debt = Total Debt - Cash & Equivalents
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7. When calculating enterprise value, why do we add net debt?: The underlying
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idea of net debt is that the cash on a company's balance sheet could pay down
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
the outstanding debt if needed. For this reason, cash and cash equivalents are
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netted against the company's debt, and many leverage ratios use net debt rather
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than the gross amount.
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8. What is the difference between enterprise value and equity value?: Enter-
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prise value represents all stakeholders in a business, including equity shareholders,
ll l l l l l l l l l l
debt lenders, and preferred stock owners.Therefore, it's independent of the
ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll
capital structure. In addition, enterprise value is closer to the actual value of the
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
business since it accounts for all ownership stakes (as opposed to just equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
owners).
ll
To tie this to a recent example, many investors were astonished that Zoom, a video
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
conferencing platform, had a higher market capitalization than seven of the
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
largest airlines combined at one point.The points being neglected were:
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1. The equity values of the airline companies were temporarily deflated given
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the travel restrictions, and the government bailout had not yet been
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announced.
ll
2. Theairlinesare significantly more mature and have far more debt on their balance
l l l l l l l l l l l l l
sheet (i.e., more non- equity stakeholders).
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9. Could a company have a negative net debt balance and have an enterprise
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value lower than its equity value?: Yes, negative net debt just means that a
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
company has more cash than debt. For example, both Apple and Microsoft
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
have massive negative net debt balances because they hoard cash. In these
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
cases, companies will have enterprise values lower than their equity value.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
3 ll/ ll66
, If it seems counter-intuitive that enterprise value can be lower than equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
value, remember that enterprise value represents the value of a company's
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
operations, which excludes any non-operating assets.When you think about it
ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll
this way, it
ll ll ll
4 ll/ ll66
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll
ANSWERS | 2024| 25 | GRADED A+
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
1. Could you explain the concept of present value and how it relates to compa- ny
ll ll l ll ll ll l ll l ll l l l ll
valuations?: The present value concept is based on the premise that "a dollar in the
ll ll l l l l l l l l l l l l ll
present is worth more than a dollar in the future" due to the time value of money. The
ll ll ll ll l ll ll l l ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll
reason being money currently in possession has the potential to earn interest by
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
being invested today.
ll ll ll
For intrinsic valuation methods, the value of a company will be equal to the
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
sum of thepresent value of all the future cash flows it generates.Therefore, a
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll
company with a high valuation would imply it receives high returns on its
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
invested capital by
ll ll ll
investingin positive net present value ("NPV") projectsconsistentlywhile havinglow
l l l l l l l l l l l
risk associated with its cash flows.
ll ll ll ll ll ll
2. What is equity value and how is it calculated?: Often used interchangeably
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
with the term market capitalization ("market cap"), equity value represents a
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
com- pany's value to its equity shareholders. A company's equity value is
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll
calculated by multiplying its latest closing share price by its total diluted
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
shares outstanding, as shown below:
ll ll ll ll ll
Equity Value = Latest Closing Share Price × Total Diluted Shares Outstanding
l ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll
3. How do you calculate the fully diluted number of shares outstanding?: The
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
treasury stock method ("TSM") is used to calculate the fully diluted number of shares
ll ll l l l ll ll ll l ll l ll ll ll
outstanding based on the options, warrants, and other dilutive securities that
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
are currently "in-the-money" (i.e., profitable to exercise).
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
The TSM involves summing up the number of in-the-money ("ITM") options
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
and warrants and then adding that figure to the number of basic shares
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
outstanding. In the proceeding step, the TSM assumes the proceeds from
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
exercising those dilutive options will go towards repurchasing stock at the
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
current share price to reduce the net dilutive impact.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
4. What is enterprise value and how do you calculate it?: Conceptually, en-
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
terprise value ("EV") represents the value of the operations of a company to
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
all stakeholders including common shareholders, preferred shareholders, and
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
debt lenders.
ll ll
Thus, enterprise value is considered capital structure neutral, unlike equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
1 ll/ ll66
,value, which is affected by financing decisions.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
Enterprise value is calculated by taking the company's equity value and adding
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
net debt, preferred stock, and minority interest.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
Enterprise Value = Equity Value + Net Debt + Preferred Stock + Minority Interest
l ll ll l ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
5. How do you calculate equity value from enterprise value?: To get to equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
value from enterprise value, you would first subtract net debt, where net debt equals
ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l
the company's gross debt and debt-like claims (e.g., preferred stock), net of
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
cash,
ll
2 ll/ ll66
,and non-operating assets.
ll ll
Equity Value = Enterprise Value - Net Debt - Preferred Stock - Minority Interest
l ll ll l ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
6. Which line items are included in the calculation of net debt?: The calculation of
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
net debt accounts for all interest-bearing debt, such as short-term and long-
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
term loans and bonds, as well as non-equity financial claims such as preferred
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
stock and non- controlling interests. From this gross debt amount, cash and
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
other non-operating assets such as short-term investments and equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
investments are subtracted to arrive at net debt.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
Net Debt = Total Debt - Cash & Equivalents
ll ll l ll ll ll ll ll
7. When calculating enterprise value, why do we add net debt?: The underlying
ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
idea of net debt is that the cash on a company's balance sheet could pay down
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
the outstanding debt if needed. For this reason, cash and cash equivalents are
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
netted against the company's debt, and many leverage ratios use net debt rather
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
than the gross amount.
ll ll ll ll
8. What is the difference between enterprise value and equity value?: Enter-
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
prise value represents all stakeholders in a business, including equity shareholders,
ll l l l l l l l l l l
debt lenders, and preferred stock owners.Therefore, it's independent of the
ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll
capital structure. In addition, enterprise value is closer to the actual value of the
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
business since it accounts for all ownership stakes (as opposed to just equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
owners).
ll
To tie this to a recent example, many investors were astonished that Zoom, a video
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
conferencing platform, had a higher market capitalization than seven of the
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
largest airlines combined at one point.The points being neglected were:
ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll
1. The equity values of the airline companies were temporarily deflated given
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
the travel restrictions, and the government bailout had not yet been
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
announced.
ll
2. Theairlinesare significantly more mature and have far more debt on their balance
l l l l l l l l l l l l l
sheet (i.e., more non- equity stakeholders).
ll ll ll ll ll ll
9. Could a company have a negative net debt balance and have an enterprise
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
value lower than its equity value?: Yes, negative net debt just means that a
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
company has more cash than debt. For example, both Apple and Microsoft
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
have massive negative net debt balances because they hoard cash. In these
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
cases, companies will have enterprise values lower than their equity value.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
3 ll/ ll66
, If it seems counter-intuitive that enterprise value can be lower than equity
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
value, remember that enterprise value represents the value of a company's
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
operations, which excludes any non-operating assets.When you think about it
ll ll ll ll ll ll l ll ll ll ll
this way, it
ll ll ll
4 ll/ ll66
