Applied Corporate Finance: A User's Manual

by Aswath Damodaran

Convert Theory into A Corporate Finance Reality Check This hands-on guide to corporate finance focuses on converting the theory and models in corporate finance into tools that can be used to analyze, under stand and help any business. Applied Corporate Finance provides a user's perspective to corporate finance, by posing the three major questions that every business has to answer, and then providing the tools and the analytical techniques needed to answer them. The three questions are-
* Where do we invest our resources? (The Investment Decision) The first part of the book looks at how to assess risk and develop a risk profile for a firm, convert this risk profile into a hurdle rate, and develops the basic rules that need to be followed in estimating the returns on any investment.
* How should we fund these investments? (The Financing Decision) Firms generally can use debt, equity or some combination of the two to fund projects. This part of the book examines the relationship between this choice and the hurdle rate to be used in analyzing projects, and presents ways in which the financing decision can be used to maximize firm value. It also sets up a framework for picking the right kind of security for any firm.
* How much cash can and should we return to the owners? (The Dividend Decision) The third part of the book establishes a process that can be used to decide how much cash should be taken out of the business, and in what form - dividends or stock buybacks. The final chapter in the book ties in the value of the firm to these three decisions, and provides insight into how firms can enhance value.
In summary, this is a book about coming up with real solutions to real problems, using real-time data on real companies.

Genres: Finance, Business, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Management, Economics

592 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 1998

About the author

Aswath Damodaran is a Professor of Finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University (Kerschner Family Chair in Finance Education). He is well known as the author of several widely used academic and practitioner texts on Valuation, Corporate Finance and Investment Management; as well as a provider of comprehensive data for valuation purposes.

Reviews

[Alma Petterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passed my class so the book was great

[Grigory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book for the topic

[Jonathan Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damodaran is always a great read for those looking for increase their corporate finance and investing knowledge. My copy is a bit dated (from 1997) but the points are nonetheless valid.