Formula Sheet
CFA Level I Formula Sheet
Condensed reference for revision – aligned with current Level I curriculum. Use with your BAII Plus in exam mode.
Click each topic to expand. Within each topic, formulas are numbered 1,2,3… for easy reference.
1. Quantitative Methods TVM · Stats · Probability · Regression ▾
- Future Value (lump sum): FV = PV(1 + r)^n
- Present Value (lump sum): PV = FV / (1 + r)^n
- Effective Annual Rate (discrete compounding): EAR = (1 + r/m)^m − 1
- Effective Annual Rate (continuous compounding): EAR = e^r − 1
- Perpetuity (level payments): PV = C / r
- Growing Perpetuity: PV = C₁ / (r − g), with r > g
- Ordinary Annuity PV: PV = C × [1 − (1 + r)^{−n}] / r
- Ordinary Annuity FV: FV = C × [(1 + r)^n − 1] / r
- Annuity Due: PV or FV of ordinary annuity × (1 + r)
- Required nominal rate (build-up): i ≈ rRF + IP + DP + LP + MP
BAII Plus: use N, I/Y, PV, PMT, FV. For annuity due, set 2nd > BGN; for ordinary annuity use END.
- Holding Period Return: HPR = (P₁ − P₀ + D₁) / P₀
- Holding Period Yield: HPY = HPR (express as %)
- Arithmetic Mean Return: R̄ = (ΣRᵢ) / n
- Geometric Mean Return: RG = (∏(1 + Rᵢ))^{1/n} − 1
- Harmonic Mean (e.g. for cost averaging): XH = n / Σ(1/Xᵢ)
- Continuously Compounded Return: r = ln(S₁ / S₀)
- Shortfall Ratio: (E(Rp) − Rtarget) / σp
- Sample Variance: s² = Σ(xᵢ − x̄)² / (n − 1)
- Sample Standard Deviation: s = √s²
- Mean Absolute Deviation: MAD = Σ|xᵢ − x̄| / n
- Target (Semi) Deviation: sTD = √[Σmin(0, xᵢ − T)² / (n − 1)]
- Coefficient of Variation: CV = s / x̄
- Sample Covariance: sXY = Σ(xᵢ − x̄)(yᵢ − ȳ) / (n − 1)
- Sample Correlation: rXY = sXY / (sXsY)
- Skewness (sample): Skew ≈ [1/n Σ((xᵢ − x̄)³)] / s³
- Excess Kurtosis (sample): Kexcess ≈ [1/n Σ((xᵢ − x̄)⁴)] / s⁴ − 3
- Location of y-th Percentile: Ly = (n + 1)(y / 100)
- If Ly is not integer, linearly interpolate between surrounding observations.
- Odds: Odds(E) = P(E) / (1 − P(E))
- Addition Rule: P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) − P(AB)
- Multiplication Rule: P(AB) = P(A|B)P(B)
- Conditional Probability: P(A|B) = P(AB) / P(B)
- Law of Total Probability: P(A) = Σ P(A|Sᵢ)P(Sᵢ)
- Bayes’ Formula: P(Event|Info) = P(Info|Event)P(Event) / P(Info)
- Expected Value (discrete): E(X) = Σ p(xᵢ)xᵢ
- Variance (discrete): Var(X) = Σ p(xᵢ)[xᵢ − E(X)]²
- Discrete Uniform: p(x) = 1/n for n equally likely outcomes.
- Continuous Uniform PDF: f(x) = 1/(b − a), a ≤ x ≤ b.
- Binomial PMF: P(X = x) = C(n, x)pˣ(1 − p)^{n − x}
- Binomial Mean & Variance: E(X) = np, Var(X) = np(1 − p)
- Standard Normal z-score: z = (X − μ)/σ
- Lognormal continuous return: r = ln(S₁/S₀) = ln(1 + R)
- Standard Error of Mean (σ known): SE = σ / √n
- Standard Error of Mean (σ unknown): SE = s / √n
- Confidence Interval: Point estimate ± (reliability factor × SE)
- General Test Statistic: TS = (Sample statistic − Hypothesized value) / SE
- Expected Portfolio Return (n assets): E(Rp) = Σ wᵢE(Rᵢ)
- Portfolio Variance (n assets): σ²p = ΣΣ wᵢwⱼCov(Rᵢ,Rⱼ)
- Two-Asset Portfolio Variance: σ²p = w₁²σ₁² + w₂²σ₂² + 2w₁w₂σ₁σ₂ρ₁₂
- Correlation from Covariance: ρ₁₂ = Cov(R₁,R₂)/(σ₁σ₂)
- Regression Line: Y = b₀ + b₁X + ε
- Slope Estimate: b̂₁ = Cov(X,Y) / Var(X)
- Intercept Estimate: b̂₀ = ȳ − b̂₁x̄
- Total / Regression / Error SS: SST = SSR + SSE
- R² (coefficient of determination): R² = SSR / SST
- Standard Error of Regression: SEE = √(SSE / (n − 2))
BAII Plus: regression is better done in Excel / calculator with STAT functions; Level I focuses on interpretation and formula usage rather than keystrokes.
2. Economics Elasticities · GDP · Parity Conditions ▾
- Own-Price Elasticity: ED = (%ΔQd) / (%ΔP)
- Income Elasticity: EI = (%ΔQd) / (%ΔIncome)
- Cross-Price Elasticity: EXY = (%ΔQd,X) / (%ΔPY)
- GDP (expenditure): Y = C + I + G + (X − M)
- GDP Deflator: Deflator = (Nominal GDP / Real GDP) × 100
- Savings–Investment–Fiscal–Trade Link: (G − T) = (S − I) − (X − M)
- Fisher Approximation: Nominal ≈ Real + Inflation
- Exact Fisher: (1 + nominal) = (1 + real)(1 + inflation)
- Covered Interest Rate Parity (discrete): F₀ = S₀ × (1 + idom)/(1 + ifor)
- Real Exchange Rate: RER = S × (Pfor/Pdom)
3. Financial Statement Analysis Ratios · DuPont · Cash Flow ▾
- Gross Margin: Gross Profit / Revenue
- Operating Margin: Operating Income / Revenue
- Net Profit Margin: Net Income / Revenue
- Return on Assets (ROA): ROA = Net Income / Average Total Assets
- Return on Equity (ROE): ROE = Net Income / Average Shareholders’ Equity
- Three-Step ROE: ROE = (Net Income / Sales) × (Sales / Assets) × (Assets / Equity)
- Five-Step ROE: ROE = Tax burden × Interest burden × EBIT margin × Asset turnover × Financial leverage
- Current Ratio: Current Assets / Current Liabilities
- Quick Ratio: (Cash + Marketable Securities + Receivables) / Current Liabilities
- Interest Coverage: EBIT / Interest Expense
- Debt-to-Equity: Total Debt / Total Equity
- Free Cash Flow to Firm (FCFF): FCFF = CFO + Interest(1 − t) − FCInv − WCInv
- Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCFE): FCFE = CFO − FCInv + Net Borrowing
BAII Plus: use CF → NPV/IRR to value discounted cash flows from FCFF / FCFE projections.
4. Corporate Issuers Leverage · Capital Budgeting ▾
- Net Present Value (NPV): NPV = Σ CFt / (1 + r)^{t} − CF₀
- Internal Rate of Return (IRR): discount rate that sets NPV = 0.
- Payback Period: time for cumulative (undiscounted) cash flows to recover initial investment.
BAII Plus: use CF → NPV, IRR keys.
- Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL): DOL = %ΔEBIT / %ΔSales
- Degree of Financial Leverage (DFL): DFL = %ΔEPS / %ΔEBIT
- Degree of Total Leverage (DTL): DTL = DOL × DFL
5. Equity Investments DDM · Multiples · RI ▾
- General DDM: P₀ = Σ Dt / (1 + r)^{t}
- Gordon Growth (constant g): P₀ = D₁ / (r − g)
- Justified P₀/E₁: P₀/E₁ = (1 − b)/(r − g)
- Justified P₀/B₀: P₀/B₀ = (ROE − g)/(r − g)
- Residual Income (RI): RIt = Eₜ − r × Bt−1
- Firm Equity Value (RI model): V₀ = B₀ + Σ RIt / (1 + r)^t
6. Fixed Income Bond Pricing · Yields · Duration · Credit ▾
- Bond Price with Spot Rates: PV = Σ [PMT / (1 + zt)^t] + FV/(1 + zn)^n
- Flat Price / Full Price: Full Price = Flat Price + Accrued Interest
- Accrued Interest: AI = (t/T) × PMT (days since last / days in period).
- Current Yield: Current Yield = Annual Coupon / Flat Price
BAII Plus: use 2nd > BOND for price/yield; set compounding and day count as per question.
- FRN Price (simplified): Price ≈ Σ[(Ref + QM)FV/m / (1 + (Ref + DM)/m)^t] + FV/(1 + (Ref + DM)/m)^n
- Discount vs Quoted Margin: if QM > DM, FRN trades above par.
- Approx. Macaulay/Modified Duration (price-based): Dur ≈ [P− − P+] / [2 × P₀ × Δy]
- Effective Duration: EffDur = (P− − P+) / [2 × P₀ × ΔCurve]
- Approximate Convexity: Conv ≈ [P− + P+ − 2P₀] / [P₀ × (Δy)²]
- Percentage Price Change (duration & convexity): %ΔP ≈ −Dur × Δy + ½ × Conv × (Δy)²
- Price Value of a Basis Point (PVBP): PVBP ≈ (P−1bp − P+1bp) / 2
- Money Duration: MoneyDur = Dur × Price
- Duration Gap: Duration Gap = Macaulay Duration − Investment Horizon
- If positive: price risk > reinvestment risk; if negative: reinvestment risk > price risk.
- Loss Severity: Loss Severity = 1 − Recovery Rate
- Expected Loss: E[Loss] = PD × Loss Severity × Exposure
- Corporate Yield Components: real RF rate + expected inflation + maturity premium + liquidity premium + credit spread.
7. Derivatives Forwards · Futures · Options · Swaps ▾
- Simple Forward Price (no income/cost): F₀(T) = S₀(1 + r)^T
- No-Arbitrage Forward (with income & costs, discrete): F₀(T) = [S₀ + PV(Costs) − PV(Income)](1 + r)^T
- No-Arbitrage Forward (continuous): F₀(T) = S₀ e^{(r + c − q)T}
- No-Arbitrage Currency Forward (continuous): F₀ = S₀ e^{(rdom − rfor)T}
- Value of Long Forward at Time t: Vt = St − F₀(1 + r)^{−(T − t)}
- Value of Currency Forward (long): Vt = St − F₀ e^{−(rdom − rfor)(T − t)}
- Implied Forward Rate (discrete): IFRm,n = [(1 + zn)^n / (1 + zm)^m]^{1/(n−m)} − 1
- FRA Settlement (buyer receives): (Reference Rate − FRA Fixed Rate) × Notional × (Days/360 or 365)
- Price of Interest Rate Futures Contract: Quoted Price = 100 − (100 × MRR)
- Intrinsic Values at Expiry: Call: max(0, ST − X), Put: max(0, X − ST)
- Lower Bound (European Call on non-dividend stock): c₀ ≥ max(0, S₀ − X/(1 + r)^T)
- Lower Bound (European Put): p₀ ≥ max(0, X/(1 + r)^T − S₀)
- Basic Put–Call Parity (European, no income): c₀ + X/(1 + r)^T = p₀ + S₀
- Put–Call–Forward Parity: c₀ + X/(1 + r)^T = p₀ + F₀(T)/(1 + r)^T
- Hedge Ratio: h = (Cup − Cdown) / (Sup − Sdown)
- Risk-Neutral Probability: π = (1 + r − d)/(u − d)
- Call Value Today: c₀ = [πCup + (1 − π)Cdown]/(1 + r)
8. Alternative Investments Real Estate · PE · IRR ▾
- Capitalization Rate: Cap Rate = NOI₁ / Value
- Direct Cap Valuation: Value ≈ NOI₁ / Cap Rate
- Net IRR: discount rate that sets PV of contributions = PV of distributions to LP.
- Multiple of Invested Capital (MOIC): MOIC = Σ Distributions / Σ Paid-in Capital
BAII Plus: use CF → IRR for fund IRR; be careful with sign convention on contributions vs distributions.
9. Portfolio Management CAPM · CML/SML · Performance ▾
- Utility of a Risky Portfolio: U = E(R) − ½ Aσ², where A = risk aversion.
- Capital Allocation Line (CAL): E(RC) = Rf + [E(RP) − Rf] × (σC/σP)
- Capital Market Line (CML): E(RP) = Rf + [(E(RM) − Rf) / σM] × σP
- Security Market Line (SML): E(Ri) = Rf + βi(E(RM) − Rf)
- Beta: βi = Cov(Ri, RM)/σ²M
- Sharpe Ratio: Sharpe = [E(RP) − Rf] / σP
- Treynor Ratio: Treynor = [E(RP) − Rf] / βP
- Jensen’s Alpha: αP = RP − [Rf + βP(RM − Rf)]
- Money-Weighted Rate of Return (MWR): IRR of the actual cash flows. 0 = Σ CFt / (1 + r)^{t}
- Time-Weighted Return (TWR): break horizon into subperiods with external cash flows, compute each subperiod return Rk, then TWR = (∏(1 + Rk) − 1).
BAII Plus: MWR uses CF → IRR. TWR is usually done in Excel; exam focus is conceptual and on simple chained examples.