PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Hans N.E Byström
TI  - Merton Unraveled
AID  - 10.3905/jai.2006.627849
DP  - 2006 Mar 31
TA  - The Journal of Alternative Investments
PG  - 39--47
VI  - 8
IP  - 4
4099  - https://pm-research.com/content/8/4/39.short
4100  - https://pm-research.com/content/8/4/39.full
AB  - Popular approaches to default probability estimation are often based on the approach initially described in Merton [1974]. By explicitly modeling a firm's market value, market value volatility and liability structure over time using contingent claims analysis the Merton model defines a firm as defaulted when the firm's value falls below its debt. This article demonstrates how a simplified “spread sheet” version of the Merton model produces distance to default measures similar to the original Merton model. Moreover, when applied to a sample of US firms, the simplified model gives a relative ranking of firms that is essentially unchanged compared to the Merton model.TOPICS: Statistical methods, credit risk management