Easy2Siksha Sample Papers
Part 6: Relevance of Cost of Capital
Now that we know what WACC is, let’s see why it’s relevant—why businesses, investors,
and examiners care about it.
1. Investment Decisions (Capital Budgeting)
When Aarav evaluates his café expansion, he will calculate the Expected Return. If the
return is higher than WACC, he should go ahead. If not, he should drop the idea.
Cost of capital becomes the benchmark or cut-off rate for projects.
2. Financing Decisions
Should a company use more debt or more equity?
• Debt is cheaper (due to tax benefits), but too much debt is risky.
• Equity is safer, but more expensive.
WACC helps companies strike a balance (called the optimal capital structure).
3. Valuation of Firms
Investors use WACC as a discount rate when calculating the present value of future cash
flows.
Lower WACC = higher firm value.
4. Performance Measurement
If a company earns returns higher than WACC, it’s creating wealth. If not, it’s destroying
wealth.
Part 7: The Human Angle – Why This Matters
Let’s return to Aarav.
Imagine he ignores WACC and just borrows money without checking whether his café can
generate higher returns. Soon, he might find himself drowning in debt, unable to pay
investors, and his dream expansion may collapse.
But by carefully calculating WACC, he knows exactly the minimum profit margin he must aim
for. It gives him confidence, clarity, and direction.
In real life, multinational giants like Tata, Infosys, Apple, or Google use WACC in exactly the
same way—to decide whether to launch new projects, open new branches, or invest in new
technologies.