How do you calculate expected return using beta?
John Johnson
Updated on February 12, 2026
Expected return = Risk Free Rate + [Beta x Market Return Premium]
What is the expected return beta relationship?
In the Capital Asset Pricing Model, a statement that the expected rate of return on an investment is directly proportional to its risk premium, as signified by its beta.
How do you calculate beta in CAPM?
The formula for calculating beta is the covariance of the return of an asset with the return of the benchmark, divided by the variance of the return of the benchmark over a certain period.
Is it necessary to calculate the future beta?
Investors make investment decisions about the future. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the future beta. Obviously, the future cannot be foreseen. As a result, it is difficult to obtain an estimate of the likely future co-movements of the returns on a share and the market.
How to calculate the risk and return relationship?
Answer: 6% + (11% – 6%) 2.0 = 16%. Obviously, with hindsight there was no need to calculate the required return for C plc as it has a beta of one and therefore the same level of risk as the market and will require the same level of return as the market, ie the RM of 11%.
When does the CAPM reflect the risk-return relationship?
If the CAPM is a realistic model (that is, it correctly reflects the risk-return relationship) and the stock market is efficient (at least weak and semi-strong), then the alpha values reflect a temporary abnormal return. In an efficient market, the expected and required returns are equal, ie a zero alpha.
When is the expected return equal to the expected risk?
This was mathematically evident when the portfolios’ expected return was equal to the weighted average of the expected returns on the individual investments, while the portfolio risk was normally less than the weighted average of the risk of the individual investments.