National Bank of KuwaitK (KUW:NBK) WACC %:15.1% (As of Jul. 20, 2026) — 31% Above Median

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
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Charlie Tian
Founder & CEO of GuruFocus
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

KUW:NBK National Bank of Kuwait SAK KUW:NBK
46 GF Score
Price KWD0.81
GF Value KWD0.93
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 3 Warning Signs
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What is National Bank of KuwaitK WACC %?

National Bank of KuwaitK KUW:NBK +0.25% 46 WACC % is 15.1% as of Jul. 20, 2026, which is 31% above its 10-year median of 11.57. GuruFocus rates KUW:NBK with a GF Score™ of 46/100 and a GF Value™ of KWD0.93 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,541 Banks companies, National Bank of KuwaitK ranks worse than 62.23% on this metric.

As of today (2026-07-20), National Bank of KuwaitK's weighted average cost of capital is 15.1%%. National Bank of KuwaitK's ROIC % is 0.00% (calculated using TTM income statement data). National Bank of KuwaitK earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.

*Note: The beta of this company cannot be obtained because it has a price history shorter than 3 years. It will thus be set to 1 as default to calculate WACC.

For a comprehensive WACC calculation, please access the WACC Calculator.


National Bank of KuwaitK  (KUW:NBK) WACC % Explanation

Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher ROIC % than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.

As of today, National Bank of KuwaitK's weighted average cost of capital is 15.1%%. National Bank of KuwaitK's ROIC % is 0.00% (calculated using TTM income statement data). National Bank of KuwaitK earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.

*Note: The beta of this company cannot be obtained because it has a price history shorter than 3 years. It will thus be set to 1 as default to calculate WACC.


Be Aware

1. GuruFocus uses book value of debt (D) to do the calculation. It is simplified by adding latest one-year quarterly average Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation and Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation together.
For companies that report quarterly, GuruFocus combines all of the most recent year's quarterly debt data from the beginning of the year to the year-end and calculates the average.
For companies that report semi-annually, GuruFocus combines all of the most recent year's semi-annual debt data from the start of the year to the year-end and calculates the average.
For companies that report annually, GuruFocus combines the beginning and ending annual debt data from the most recent year and then calculates the average.

2. The WACC formula discussed above does not include Preferred Stock. Please adjust if preferred stock is considered.

3. (Expected Return of the Market - Risk-Free Rate of Return) is also called market premium. GuruFocus requires market premium to be 6%.

4. GuruFocus uses the latest TTM Interest Expense divided by the latest one-year quarterly average debt to get the simplified cost of debt.


Related Terms

National Bank of KuwaitK WACC % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC % can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

National Bank of KuwaitK WACC % Chart

National Bank of KuwaitK Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
WACC %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 7.23 10.49 15.60 17.00 14.44

National Bank of KuwaitK Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
WACC % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 15.48 15.16 14.49 14.44 14.67

KUW:NBK vs PNC: WACC % Comparison

For the Banks - Regional subindustry, National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC %, along with its competitors' market caps and WACC % data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


National Bank of KuwaitK WACC % vs Banks Industry

For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC % falls into.


KUW:NBK
46GF Score
National Bank of Kuwait SAK KUW:NBK
WACC % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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National Bank of KuwaitK WACC % Calculation

The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the rate that a company is expected to pay on average to all its security holders to finance its assets. The WACC is commonly referred to as the firm's cost of capital. Generally speaking, a company's assets are financed by debt and equity. WACC is the average of the costs of these sources of financing, each of which is weighted by its respective use in the given situation. By taking a weighted average, we can see how much interest the company has to pay for every dollar it finances.

WACC=E/(E + D)*Cost of Equity+D/(E + D)*Cost of Debt*(1 - Tax Rate)

1. Weights:
Generally speaking, a company's assets are financed by debt and equity. We need to calculate the weight of equity and the weight of debt.
The market value of equity (E) is also called "Market Cap". As of today, National Bank of KuwaitK's market capitalization (E) is KWD7417.362 Mil.
The market value of debt is typically difficult to calculate, therefore, GuruFocus uses book value of debt (D) to do the calculation. It is simplified by adding the latest one-year quarterly average Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation and Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation together. As of Mar. 2026, National Bank of KuwaitK's latest one-year quarterly average Book Value of Debt (D) is KWD3730.5922 Mil.
a) weight of equity = E / (E + D) = 7417.362 / (7417.362 + 3730.5922) = 0.6654
b) weight of debt = D / (E + D) = 3730.5922 / (7417.362 + 3730.5922) = 0.3346

2. Cost of Equity:
GuruFocus uses Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to calculate the required rate of return. The formula is:
Cost of Equity = Risk-Free Rate of Return + Beta of Asset * (Expected Return of the Market - Risk-Free Rate of Return)
a) GuruFocus uses 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate as the risk-free rate. It is updated daily. The current risk-free rate is 4.59%. Please go to Economic Indicators page for more information. Please note that we use the 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate of the country/region where the company is headquartered. If the data for that country/region is not available, then we will use the 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate of the United States as default.
b) Beta is the sensitivity of the expected excess asset returns to the expected excess market returns. National Bank of KuwaitK's beta cannot be obtained because it has a price history shorter than 3 years. It will thus be set to 1 as default to calculate WACC.
c) (Expected Return of the Market - Risk-Free Rate of Return) is also called market premium. GuruFocus requires market premium to be 6%.
Cost of Equity = 4.59% + 1 * 6% = 10.59%

3. Cost of Debt:
GuruFocus uses latest TTM Interest Expense divided by the latest one-year quarterly average debt to get the simplified cost of debt.
As of Mar. 2026, National Bank of KuwaitK's interest expense (positive number) was KWD1072.662 Mil. Its total Book Value of Debt (D) is KWD3730.5922 Mil.
Cost of Debt = 1072.662 / 3730.5922 = 28.7531%.

4. Multiply by one minus TTM Tax Rate:
GuruFocus uses the most recent TTM Tax Expense divided by the most recent TTM Pre-Tax Income to calculate the tax rate. The calculated TTM tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%. If the calculated tax rate is higher than 100%, it is set to 100%. If the calculated tax rate is less than 0%, it is set to 0%.
The latest calculated TTM Tax Rate = 120.409 / 738.782 = 16.3%.

National Bank of KuwaitK's Weighted Average Cost Of Capital (WACC) for Today is calculated as:

WACC=E / (E + D)*Cost of Equity+D / (E + D)*Cost of Debt*(1 - Tax Rate)
=0.6654*10.59%+0.3346*28.7531%*(1 - 16.3%)
=15.1%

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about WACC % →
What does a WACC % of 15.1% mean?
National Bank of KuwaitK (KUW:NBK) has a WACC % of 15.1% as of Jul. 20, 2026. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the average rate a company pays to finance assets. View historical data on National Bank of KuwaitK and its competitors. This is 31% above median its historical median of 11.57. Over the past decade, National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC % has ranged from 7.23 to 17.00. According to the industry distribution chart, National Bank of KuwaitK ranks #959 out of 1541 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 62.2%.
Is National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC % too high?
National Bank of KuwaitK's current WACC % of 15.1% is 31% above median its 10-year median of 11.57. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 7.23 to a high of 17.00. The Banks industry median WACC % is 13.11. National Bank of KuwaitK's value of 15.1% is 15.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, National Bank of KuwaitK ranks #959 out of 1541 companies in the Banks industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, National Bank of KuwaitK has a GF Score™ of 46/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does National Bank of KuwaitK's WACC % compare to PNC?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, National Bank of KuwaitK ranks #959 out of 1541 companies for WACC %. This places National Bank of KuwaitK in the lower half of its industry. The industry median WACC % is 13.11. National Bank of KuwaitK's value of 15.1% is 15.2% above this benchmark. Historically, National Bank of KuwaitK's own WACC % has ranged from 7.23 to 17.00 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 11.57 vs. the industry median of 13.11, National Bank of KuwaitK has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good WACC % for a Banks company?
The median WACC % among Banks companies is 13.11, based on 1,541 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a WACC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, WACC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. National Bank of KuwaitK's current WACC % of 15.1% is 15.2% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high WACC % mean?
A high WACC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the average rate a company pays to finance assets. View historical data on National Bank of KuwaitK and its competitors. For the Banks industry, the median WACC % is 13.11 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. National Bank of KuwaitK's current WACC % is 15.1%, which is 31% above median its own 10-year median of 11.57. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is National Bank of KuwaitK stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, National Bank of KuwaitK (KUW:NBK) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is KWD0.93, compared to a current price of KWD0.81 — trading 13.1% below its estimated fair value. The current WACC % is 15.1%, which is 31% above median its 10-year median of 11.57 and 15.2% above the Banks industry median of 13.11. National Bank of KuwaitK's overall GF Score™ is 46/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is WACC % calculated?
WACC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For National Bank of KuwaitK (KUW:NBK), the current WACC % is 15.1% as of Jul. 20, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is National Bank of KuwaitK (KUW:NBK) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, National Bank of KuwaitK stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of KWD0.81 is trading 13.1% below its estimated GF Value™ of KWD0.93. GuruFocus considers National Bank of KuwaitK to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for KUW:NBK:

  • WACC %: 15.1% (31% above median its 10-year median of 11.57)
  • GF Value™: KWD0.93 vs. price of KWD0.81 (13.1% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 46/100 with 3 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 15.2% above the Banks median (#959 of 1541)

No single metric tells the full story. See the KUW:NBK stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


National Bank of KuwaitK Business Description

Address Al Shuhada Street, P.O. Box 95, Safat, Kuwait, KWT, 13001
National Bank of Kuwait SAK is a financial institution. The company's operating segment includes Consumer Banking, Corporate Banking, NBK Wealth, Islamic Banking, Group Centre, and International Banking. The company generates maximum revenue from the International Banking segment. The International Banking segment provides diversified products and services including lending, deposits, trade finance, etc. to corporate and individual customers. Geographically, it derives a majority of its revenue from Kuwait and also has a presence in the Middle East and North Africa; Europe and UK, and Other Countries.
46GF Score

Get the complete analysis for KUW:NBK

WACC % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

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KWD0.93
GF Value