Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) adds Interest Rates, and Education coverage that Trefis skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
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Monday, November 10, 2025
Tool Comparison
Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) vs Trefis comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Trefis includes Data Visualizations, Stock Comparison, Blogs, and Custom Dashboards categories that Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) omits.
In depth comparison
Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US)
pages.stern.nyu.edu
US industry-level WACC dataset compiled by Prof. Aswath Damodaran. Includes sector betas, cost of equity, cost of debt (pre/after-tax), capital structure weights, and industry counts. Updated annually (January snapshot). Best used as a sector baseline; company-specific WACC should adjust for firm capital structure, tax, and risk. See 'Cost of Capital Central' for methodology deep-dives.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- US industry table with: Industry, # of firms, Beta, Cost of Equity, E/(D+E), Std. Dev. in stock, Cost of Debt, Tax Rate, After‑tax Cost of Debt, D/(D+E), and WACC.
- Direct Excel download (wacc.xls) for offline analysis.
- Annual ‘Data used as of January’ snapshot; site also links to global datasets hub.
- Methodology resources: lectures/notes on estimating beta, cost of equity, and WACC (bottom‑up betas, unlevering/re‑levering, ERP usage).
Community votes (overall)
Trefis
trefis.com
Interactive valuation platform where you can build, adjust, and share stock models. It supports a full Excel round-trip (download your scenarios into Excel; upload spreadsheets back into Trefis to auto-generate dashboards). Models can be exported to PDF, Excel, or image. Market data and consensus EPS come from QuoteMedia, with a disclosed 15–20 minute exchange delay. Both free and paid plans are available.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Interactive “what-if” stock models — adjust forecasts, watch the valuation update in real time, and save or compare multiple scenarios.
- Excel round-trip workflow: export models to Excel, make changes locally, then upload again to auto-create interactive dashboards without IT support or templates.
- Export reports, charts, and scenarios as PDF, Excel, or image files.
- Valuations use a blend of sum-of-the-parts and discounted cash flow, with the platform publishing a proprietary “Trefis Price” per share.
- Peer and ratio comparison tools make it easy to benchmark companies against competitors.
Community votes (overall)
Where they differ
Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US)
Distinct strengths include:
- US industry table with: Industry, # of firms, Beta, Cost of Equity, E/(D+E), Std. Dev. in stock, Cost of Debt, Tax Rate, After‑tax Cost of Debt, D/(D+E), and WACC.
- Direct Excel download (wacc.xls) for offline analysis.
- Annual ‘Data used as of January’ snapshot; site also links to global datasets hub.
- Methodology resources: lectures/notes on estimating beta, cost of equity, and WACC (bottom‑up betas, unlevering/re‑levering, ERP usage).
Trefis
Distinct strengths include:
- Interactive “what-if” stock models — adjust forecasts, watch the valuation update in real time, and save or compare multiple scenarios.
- Excel round-trip workflow: export models to Excel, make changes locally, then upload again to auto-create interactive dashboards without IT support or templates.
- Export reports, charts, and scenarios as PDF, Excel, or image files.
- Valuations use a blend of sum-of-the-parts and discounted cash flow, with the platform publishing a proprietary “Trefis Price” per share.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) | Trefis |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Valuation Models, Financials Unique: Interest Rates, Education | Shared: Valuation Models, Financials Unique: Data Visualizations, Stock Comparison, Blogs, Custom Dashboards |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, Real Estate | Stocks |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web | Web |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Yes | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Highlighted | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) and Trefis both support?
Both platforms cover Valuation Models, and Financials workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) and Trefis require subscriptions?
Both Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) and Trefis keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) and Trefis?
Both Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) and Trefis prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Damodaran — Cost of Capital by Sector (US) differentiates itself with US industry table with: Industry, # of firms, Beta, Cost of Equity, E/(D+E), Std. Dev. in stock, Cost of Debt, Tax Rate, After‑tax Cost of Debt, D/(D+E), and WACC., Direct Excel download (wacc.xls) for offline analysis., and Annual ‘Data used as of January’ snapshot; site also links to global datasets hub., whereas Trefis stands out for Interactive “what-if” stock models — adjust forecasts, watch the valuation update in real time, and save or compare multiple scenarios., Excel round-trip workflow: export models to Excel, make changes locally, then upload again to auto-create interactive dashboards without IT support or templates., and Export reports, charts, and scenarios as PDF, Excel, or image files..
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Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.