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Various factors may influence project finance when a multi-sourced debt financing strategy is used for financing capital investments, in general, and public infrastructure investments, in particular. Traditional indicators lack comprehensive consideration of the influences of many internal and external factors, such as investment structure, financing mode and credit guarantee structure, which exist in the financing decision making of BOT projects. An effective approach is, thus, desired. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

This paper develops a financial model that uses an interval number to represent the uncertain factors and, subsequently, conducts a standardization of the interval number. Decision makers determine the weight of each objective through the analytic hierarchy process. Through the optimization procedure, project investors and sponsors are provided with a strategy regarding the optimal amount of debt to be raised and the insight on the risk level based on the net present value, as well as the probability of bankruptcy for each different period of debt service.

By using an example infrastructure project in China and based on the comprehensive evaluation, comparison and ranking of the capital structures of urban public infrastructure projects using the interval number method, the final ranking can help investors to choose the optimal capital structure for investment. The calculation using the interval number method shows that X2 is the optimal capital structure plan for the BOT project of the first stage of Tianjin Binhai Rail Transit Z4 line. Therefore, investors should give priority to selecting a capital contribution ratio of 45 per cent for this investment.

In this paper, some parameters, such as depreciation life, construction period and concession period, are assumed to be deterministic parameters, although the interval number model has been introduced to analyze the uncertainty indicators, such as total investment and passenger flow, of BOT rail transport projects. Therefore, more of the above deterministic parameters can be taken as uncertainty parameters in future research so that calculation results fit actual projects more closely.

This model can be used to make the optimal investment decision for a project by determining the impact of uncertainty factors on the profitability of the project in its lifecycle during the project financial feasibility analysis. Project sponsors can determine the optimal capital structure of a project through an analysis of the irregular fluctuation of the unpredictable factors in project construction such as construction investment, operating cost and passenger flow. The model can also be used to examine the effects of different capital investment ratios on indicators so that appropriate measures can be taken to reduce risks and maximize profit.

The aim of this study is to report on a simple derivation that results in what the authors refer to as the lending cap rate. The lending cap rate is a unique cap rate resulting in a property valuation that perfectly aligns the maximum loan amount for the financing of commercial real estate.

The derivation is the result of simple algebra relating the two most common underwriting ratios: debt service coverage and loan-to-value with the formula for the present value of an annuity. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the calculation of the lending cap rate, property valuation and maximum loan amount. The authors also present comparative statics results.

The main finding of this research is that once a lender knows the debt service coverage ratio, loan-to-value ratio and lending terms for a specific property financing request, a simple calculation reveals the lending cap rate and the property valuation that aligns the maximum loan amount implied by the two underwriting ratios.

One practical implication of the research is that a simple calculation reveals the lending cap rate which facilitates timely property evaluations for lending purposes. The methods demonstrated also offer real estate finance educators a practical means of connecting the loan underwriting process with property appraisal thereby facilitating conceptual understanding.

The key finding is original, and the importance of the finding is that the determination of the lending cap rate is simple and has the ability to make commercial real estate lending faster and cheaper, especially in lending situations where an evaluation rather than an appraisal is appropriate.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the expected cost of a large-sized photovoltaic (PV) system (= 1 MW) in reaching grid parity, not taking into account any type of government incentives (now quite uncommon in industrialized countries). A PV system located in Southern Italy will be the subject of this assessment.

The paper presents the case of a 1 MW ground-mounted PV system. The data regarding solar radiation on the surface of the modules and the relative solar diagrams were simulated and reported using PVSYST® 5.21 software. To evaluate the profitability and solvency of the project, a number of factors were taken into consideration: profitability indicators of net present value and internal rate of return, the debt service coverage indicators of debt service cover ratio and loan life cover ratio and their mean annual values (annual debt service cover ratio and annual loan life cover ratio, respectively). A sensitivity analysis with respect to the most critical element (weighted average cost of capital) gave strength to the results.

The achievement of grid parity for 200 kW PV systems is happening globally in areas with higher irradiation, but it clearly refers to residential utilities and is not applicable to large systems. The case study considers a power plant (= 1 MW) to assess the total cost that it would need to have to be economically advantageous.

This is an assessment made using a case which, given an average irradiance value in the area and the energy produced, can be used in all countries lying in the temperate zone. For other areas, a scaling coefficient would be needed.

The paper is useful for understanding the order of cost, which must catch up to PV technology to make investments in power plants profitable in the absence of government incentives. It is also helpful for those who make government policies so that these may propose possible incentives commensurate with the actual difference between the value of the technology and the value of the investment. The study is also useful for a possible comparison with a system sharing the same characteristics (size, energy production) for off-grid use and customers.

The study can be a valuable support for government policies to incentivate PV systems that contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gases and that help contain climate change. The case study represents a real case taken directly from a real project. This case study and its sustainable features have not been previously presented in a scientific journal.

Public private partnerships (PPP) projects are characterised by highly leveraged capital structure. Lenders who provide the major portion of financing in the form of debt are more concerned with the downside risks and the measures to mitigate the risks. Lenders, thus, look into the risk factors and mitigating measures that could influence the projects debt servicing capability while making the credit decisions. The purpose of this paper is to identify the various aspects of PPP road projects that lenders look into while making the decisions to extend project finance loans to PPP road projects.

Case study research with four Indian lending institutions provides primary evidences from the interviews on the aspects considered during credit decision making. The primary evidences are collaborated with secondary evidences such as loan proposal and information memoranda of the PPP road projects undertaken by the case study organisations.

The study identifies the various aspects of PPP road projects, categorised into six major dimensions. The aspects and dimensions provide a theoretical framework to measure the risk profile of PPP road projects from debt‐financing perspective.

Additional cases can be undertaken to validate the findings and increase the usefulness of the framework to practitioners and enhance their general application.

The framework can be useful while making debt financing decisions in assessing how desirable the project is from a debt‐financing perspective.

The work is novel providing insights into debt financing of PPP road projects in India and will be of interest to sponsors while structuring the financial package.

This paper offers empirical evidence on factors influencing credit spreads on commercial mortgage loans. It extends existing work on the pricing of commercial mortgage loans. The authors examine the relative significance of a range of factors on loan pricing that are lender, asset and loan specific. The research explores and quantifies the sources of spread differentials among commercial mortgage loans. The paper contributes to a limited literature on the subject and serves the purpose of price discovery in commercial property lending. It offers a framework to compare actual pricing with fundamental-based estimates of loan spreads.

Panel analysis is deployed to examine the cross-section and time-series determinants of commercial mortgage loan margins and credit spreads. Using an exclusive database of loan portfolios in the United Kingdom (UK), the panel analysis enables the authors to analyse and quantify the impact of a number of theory-consistent and plausible factors determining the cost of lending to commercial real estate (CRE), including type and origin of lender, loan size, loan to value (LTV) and characteristics of asset financed – type, location and grade.

Spreads on commercial mortgages and, therefore, loan pricing differ by the type of lender – bank, insurance company and debt fund. The property sector is another significant risk factor lenders price in. The LTV ratio has increased in importance since 2012. Prior to global financial crisis (GFC), lenders made little distinction in pricing different LTVs. Loans secured in secondary assets command a higher premium of 50–60bps. The analysis establishes an average premium of 35bps for loans advanced in regions compared to London. London is particularly seen a less risky region for loan advancements in the post-GFC era.

The study considers the role of lender characteristics and the changing regulation in the pricing of commercial mortgage loans and provides a framework to study spreads or pricing in this market that can include additional fundamental influences, such as terms of individual loans. The ultimate aim of such research is to assess whether mortgage loans are correctly priced and spotting risks emanating from actual loan spreads being lower than fundamental-based spreads pointing to tight pricing and over-lending.

The analysis provides evidence on lender criteria that determine the cost of loans. The study confirms that differences in regulation affect loan pricing. The regulatory impact is most visible in the increased significance of LTV. In that sense, regulation has been effective in restricting lending at high LTV levels.

The paper exploits a database of a commercial mortgage loan portfolio to make loan pricing more transparent to the different types of lender and borrowers. Lenders can use the estimates to assess whether commercial loans are fairly priced. Borrowers better understand the relative significance of risk factors affecting margins and the price they are charged. The results of this paper are of value to regulators as they can assist to understand the determinants of loan margins and gauge conditions in the lending market.