Incremental IRRs were used by 47.3% of the respondents, while simulation
models were used by 37.2%. PERT/CPM charting and decision trees were each used by
about 31% of the firms. From this point, the more complex mathematical models, such
as linear programming and option models, receive less corporate acceptance.
C. Management Determination of Appropriate Cost of Capital
Several studies examine the cost of capital for large firms [Gitman and Mercurio
(1982), Jog and Srivastava (1995), and Oblak and Helm, Jr. (1980)] and other studies
examine the approximate cost of capital facing large companies [Schall, Sundem, and
Geijsbeek, Jr. (1978), and Gitman and Forrester (1977)]. Oblak and Helm, Jr. (1980)
examine the cost of capital practices of multinationals and found weighted average cost
of capital (WACC) was used by 54% of the respondents. Other measures cited in their
study include the cost of debt, past experience, expected growth rate, and CAPM. Jog
and Srivastava (1995) found WACC to be used by 47% of Canadian firms, but significant
numbers of firms also use the other measures found in Oblak and Helm, Jr. (1980).
In academia, it is argued that WACC is the superior base level for cost of capital
determinations. The following closed ended question was posed; “In general, which of
the following does your company consider to be the best discount rate?” The vast
majority, 83.2% chose WACC, while 7.4% chose the cost of debt, 1.5% chose the cost of
retained earnings, and 1.0% chose the cost of new equity. A minority (5.4%) chose cost
of equity for a project financed with equity and cost of debt for a project financed with
debt and 1.5% indicated they had another measure for calculating the base discount rate.