Alpha and Beta: What is the best way to use them and why are they important?

Investment and financial markets frequently use the terms “Chasing Alpha” and “Market Beta”. Although they may seem like complicated financial concepts, all investors should understand how Alpha and Beta function in the investment world. Alpha and Beta are often used as measures to evaluate the performance and risk of an investment portfolio or an individual… Continue reading

What is the best way to calculate Risk Premium and why is it important?

The Risk Premium explained. The Risk Premium (RP) is the additional rate of return that investors expect to receive for taking on more risk when investing in stocks. This premium is above the Risk-Free Rate, which is the return that investors expect from a risk-free investment. Investors should be compensated for taking on additional risk… Continue reading

What is the best way to calculate the Risk-Free Rate and why is it important?

The Risk-Free Rate explained. The Risk-Free Rate is a theoretical interest rate of return that carries zero risk. Although technically all investments carry some level of risk, investors want a way to measure the rate of return against other safer alternatives to ensure that the payoff to risk-reward is in their favour. The Risk-Free rate… Continue reading

What is the best way to measure inflation-adjusted return and why is it important?

The Inflation-Adjusted return explained. The Inflation Adjusted Return, also known as the Real Rate of Return, is the Return on Investment after accounting for inflation. Inflation refers to purchasing power of money decreasing due to a general increase in the prices of goods and services. The inflation-adjusted return is a precise measure of the true… Continue reading

What is the Earnings Yield and how to use it?

The Earnings Yield explained. The Earnings Yield is a financial metric used to measure the indicative rate of return on a stock. It is calculated by dividing the company’s earnings per share by the stock price, which forms the Earnings Yield (E/P). This ratio is not commonly used for valuation, but it is an effective… Continue reading

A simple way to Calculate Portfolio Returns.

Calculate Portfolio Returns explained. This is a simple formula to calculate portfolio returns. I prefer to use it annually however you can use the formula monthly measuring performance depending how active you are.   There is a multitude of portfolio, investment, and financial management software available. In my personal experience, I still after 15 years… Continue reading

What is the Compound Annual Growth Rate?

The Compound Annual Growth Rate explained. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) measures the average annual growth of an investment over a given period. CAGR is a helpful tool for investors because it measures investment growth (or decline) over time. This can be a useful way to measure against a benchmark if you have one…. Continue reading

What is the Discount Factor and how to use it?

The Discount Factor is a metric that determines the present value of $1. It is used when conducting financial modelling such as the discounted cash flow or (DCF), net present value (NPV) model. The Discount Factor is used to estimate the present value (PV) of receiving $1 in the future based on the expected date of receiving it and discount rate estimation.

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