CFA Institute ESG-Investing Exam - Topic 7 Question 23 Discussion

Actual exam question for CFA Institute's ESG-Investing exam

Question #: 23
Topic #: 7

Over the last several years a company has traded at an average price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 12x, compared to a peer group range of 11x to 13x. If the company implements a new risk management framework to better manage material ESG risks relative to its peers, it would most likely justify a P/E ratio of:

A11x

B12x

C13x

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: C

by Karma at Jan 05, 2026, 05:16 AM

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Soledad

3 days ago

Really? A new framework justifies a whole extra point?

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Ernest

9 days ago

I think 13x makes sense if they improve ESG.

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Graciela

14 days ago

The average P/E is 12x, so that's the baseline.

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Angelyn

19 days ago

C) 13x, no doubt. This company is going to be the ESG darling of the industry after this move.

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Marguerita

24 days ago

Haha, the answer is obviously C) 13x. Who doesn't love a good ESG premium these days? Sign me up!

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Shala

2 months ago

B) 12x seems like the safest bet. While the new framework may help, I'm not sure it's enough to justify a full 1x premium over the peer group range.

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Katy

2 months ago

Definitely C) 13x. Implementing a robust ESG risk management framework is a strong signal to investors and should lead to a premium valuation.

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Viola

2 months ago

I think the answer is C) 13x, as the new risk management framework should help the company better manage its ESG risks and justify a higher valuation compared to its peers.

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Ilona

2 months ago

I’m a bit confused; I thought the P/E would stay the same unless the change was really substantial. Maybe 12x is safer, but I can see the argument for 13x too.

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Sina

2 months ago

I recall that the average P/E was 12x, and since the company is making a significant change, it might justify a slight increase. I’m thinking 13x could be reasonable.

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Whitney

2 months ago

This question feels familiar; I think we practiced a similar one where a company improved its sustainability efforts. I lean towards 13x, but I'm not entirely confident.

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Niesha

3 months ago

I remember we discussed how improving ESG practices can positively impact a company's valuation, but I'm not sure if it would push the P/E to the top of the range.

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Delpha

3 months ago

I'm pretty confident the answer is C) 13x. The question states the new framework would "most likely justify" a P/E of 13x, which is the high end of the peer range.

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Cathern

3 months ago

I think the key is understanding how the new risk management framework would impact the company's risk profile and future earnings potential compared to its peers. That should help determine the appropriate P/E ratio.

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Shawnee

3 months ago

Okay, I've got this. If the company's P/E is currently 12x and the peer range is 11x to 13x, then a P/E of 13x would be the highest justified by the new framework. That's my best guess.

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Tamar

3 months ago

Hmm, I'm a bit confused. Does a higher P/E ratio always mean the company is more valuable? I'm not sure how to weigh the impact of the new risk management framework.

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Floyd

3 months ago

I think the key here is understanding how the company's risk management framework would impact its P/E ratio relative to its peers. If the new framework helps it better manage material ESG risks, that could justify a higher P/E.

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