RicherFin Education

Corporate Finance

Value Creation

Value is created when the return on invested capital exceeds its cost. This course connects ROIC, WACC, economic profit, growth and the duration of competitive advantage.

The decision examined

A company may grow earnings while destroying value if growth absorbs capital at an inadequate return. Historical ROIC must also be separated from the marginal return earned on new investment.

Learning outcomes

  • Construct a coherent ROIC.
  • Calculate the return spread and economic profit.
  • Connect reinvestment, marginal ROIC and competitive advantage.

Key concepts

  • ROIC
  • NOPAT
  • WACC
  • Economic profit
  • Reinvestment
  • Competitive advantage

Course structure

  1. Value and performance
  2. Return spread
  3. Growth
  4. Reinvestment
  5. Competitive advantage
  6. Capital allocation

Analytical framework

Compare return with the cost of capital

Return on invested capital relates after-tax operating profit to the capital employed:

Return on invested capital

ROIC = NOPATInvested capital

When ROIC exceeds WACC, invested capital produces a surplus before considering how long the spread can persist. Below WACC, investing more at the same return increases value destruction.

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