Question

What is Beta and how can we use Beta to measure risk?

Answer 1

Beta that is systematic risk is determined by: Rate of change of stock return to the rate of change of market return. It is the sensitivity of stock return to Market return.

A lower Beta Represents (less than 1) that if the stock market index moves by 1% then the stock will move by less than 1% and vice versa.

Example:
Suppose Beta of a stock is 0.7, if stock market index goes down by 1% then the stock will go down by 0.7% and vice versa.

So it's better to buy lower beta stocks, during falling markets and vice versa.

Beta represents => Systematic Risk/Non-diversifiable risk/Market risk:

1. Risk related to the economy.
2. Cannot be killed by diversification.

For Example:
1. Suppose a war is declared between two countries.
2. Government decisions / New political party coming into power.
3. The risk due to the cyclic nature of Industry.
4. Interest rate, Inflation fluctuation risk.

Lower the cyclic nature of the business(pharmaceuticals and fast-moving consumer goods), lower the beta.
Lower financial risk (low debt to equity ratio), lower the beta.