Risk Premium Calculator

Calculate market risk premium, equity risk premium, and asset-specific risk premiums

Calculation Type

Market Risk Premium (Equity Risk Premium)

%

Expected annual return of the stock market (e.g., S&P 500)

%

Yield on government bonds (T-bills, Treasury bonds)

Market Risk Premium Results

7.00%
Market Risk Premium
10.00%
Expected Market Return
3.00%
Risk-Free Rate
Risk Level:High

Above average premium. Market compensating well for risk.

💡 Attractive entry point for equity investments.

Formula: Market Risk Premium = Expected Market Return - Risk-Free Rate

Calculation: 7.00% = 10.00% - 3.00%

Example Calculations

Market Risk Premium

S&P 500 Expected Return: 10%

10-Year Treasury Yield: 3%

Market Risk Premium: 10% - 3% = 7%

Historical average: 6-8% per year

Tech Stock Example

Stock Expected Return: 15%

Beta: 1.5

CAPM Expected: 3% + 1.5(7%) = 13.5%

Alpha = 15% - 13.5% = +1.5%

Risk Premium Types

Market Risk Premium

Expected return above risk-free rate for investing in market

Asset Risk Premium

Return above risk-free rate based on asset's systematic risk (beta)

Country Risk Premium

Additional return for investing in emerging markets

Credit Spread

Extra yield on corporate bonds vs. government bonds

Investment Insights

✓

Higher risk premium = better compensation for taking risk

✓

Historical market risk premium averages 6-8% annually

✓

Positive alpha indicates outperformance potential

✓

Country risk premium higher in emerging markets

✓

Lower credit ratings require higher yields

Historical Averages (US)

Market Risk Premium6-8%
Small Cap Premium3-4%
Value Premium4-5%
AAA Credit Spread0.5-1%
BBB Credit Spread2-3%

Understanding Risk Premium

What is Risk Premium?

Risk premium is the return in excess of the risk-free rate that an investment is expected to yield. It represents the compensation investors require for taking on additional risk compared to risk-free assets like government bonds.

Key Components

  • •Expected Return: Anticipated return from the investment
  • •Risk-Free Rate: Return on government bonds or T-bills
  • •Beta: Measure of systematic risk relative to market
  • •Market Risk: Risk inherent to the entire market

Key Formulas

Market Risk Premium

MRP = E(Rm) - Rf

Expected market return minus risk-free rate

CAPM Expected Return

E(Ri) = Rf + βi × [E(Rm) - Rf]

Asset return based on systematic risk

Country Risk Premium

CRP = DS × (σe / σb)

Default spread × volatility ratio

Credit Spread

CS = Yield(Corp) - Yield(Gov)

Corporate bond yield minus government bond yield

Practical Applications

Portfolio Management

Assess if investments are adequately compensating for risk

Valuation

Determine appropriate discount rates for DCF models

Performance Evaluation

Calculate alpha to measure manager skill