Tax-Adjusted Discount Rates with Investor Taxes and Risky Debt

21 Pages Posted: 5 Jun 2008

See all articles by Ian A. Cooper

Ian A. Cooper

London Business School

Kjell G. Nyborg

University of Zurich - Department of Banking and Finance; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Swiss Finance Institute

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: January 2008

Abstract

This paper derives a tax-adjusted discount rate formula with a constant proportion leverage policy, investor taxes, and risky debt. The result depends on an assumption about the treatment of tax losses in default. We identify the assumption that justifies the textbook approach of discounting interest tax shields at the cost of debt. We contrast this with an alternative assumption that leads to the Sick (1990) result that these should be discounted at the riskless rate. These two approaches represent polar cases. Each generates its results by using a different simplifying assumption, and we explain what determines the correct treatment in practice. We also discuss implementation of the valuation procedure using the CAPM.

Keywords: Tax adjusted discount rate, WACC

JEL Classification: G12, G31

Suggested Citation

Cooper, Ian Anthony and Nyborg, Kjell G., Tax-Adjusted Discount Rates with Investor Taxes and Risky Debt (January 2008). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP6646, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1140575

Ian Anthony Cooper (Contact Author)

London Business School ( email )

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Regent's Park
London, London NW1 4SA
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+44 171 262 5050 (Phone)

Kjell G. Nyborg

University of Zurich - Department of Banking and Finance ( email )

Plattenstrasse 14
Zürich, 8032
Switzerland
+41 (0)44 634 2980 (Phone)

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Swiss Finance Institute

c/o University of Geneva
40, Bd du Pont-d'Arve
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Switzerland

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