Loss Given Default (LGD)
Candlefocus EditorWhen calculating LGD, a financial institution needs to take into account several factors, including the borrower’s creditworthiness, loan terms, conditions, and interest rate. LGD itself is based on the amount that a borrower defaulted on, including any unpaid interest, expenses for foreclosure, or other costs associated with a default situation. For example, if a loan with a principal of $100,000 and exposure of $105,000 defaulted, resulting in a loss of $10,000, the LGD would be 10% ( 10,000/105,000).
From the lenders’ perspective, the LGD provides a measure of the expected total loss from any given loan. It is a key indicator for risk management, as it translates the probability of default into the magnitude of losses that the lender risks in case of default. As such, LGD can help to identify loans with higher risks and lower expected losses, enabling lenders to manage their exposure to poorly performing loans.
For financial institutions, LGD provides an important understanding of their overall credit exposure. LGD is an invaluable tool for lenders to measure their expected losses in the case of a borrower’s default. With a quantification of the severity of exposure in a loan portfolio, lenders can implement decision-making strategies to reduce their risk of loss in case of a borrower’s default. In sum, LGD is a useful tool in the risk management process of financial institutions and provides a clearer picture of their expected losses in the case of default.