# Football Field Chart in PowerPoint: How to Build a Valuation Summary, with a Free Template
> What a football field valuation chart shows, how the ranges are derived, and how to build one in PowerPoint step by step. Includes a free editable template.
- Author: [Florian Ploszczyk](https://www.offgen.ai/en/authors/florian-ploszczyk)
- Published: 2026-10-20
- Updated: 2026-10-20
- Category: M&A & Private Equity
- Labels: M&A & Private Equity, Banking & Finance
- Canonical URL: https://www.offgen.ai/en/blog/football-field-chart-powerpoint
A football field chart is a floating horizontal bar chart that shows the value range produced by each valuation method side by side, usually with a vertical line for the offer price or the current share price. In PowerPoint, you build it as a stacked bar chart: an invisible first series holds the low end of each range, a visible second series holds the difference between high and low, the category order is reversed, and a line marks the offer. The [free football field template](/downloads/templates/football-field-chart-template.pptx) in this article is built exactly that way.
Below: what the chart is for, how to read it, how each range is derived, a step-by-step build, design rules and the mistakes reviewers catch most often.
[Download free template (.pptx)](/downloads/templates/football-field-chart-template.pptx)
*Preview of the free PowerPoint template.*
## What a football field shows and where it is used [#what-a-football-field-shows-and-where-it-is-used]
Wall Street Prep describes the football field as "a floating bar chart" that "puts several valuation analyses side-by-side" and calls it "a staple of the investment banking pitch book", also used in fairness opinions ([Wall Street Prep](https://www.wallstreetprep.com/knowledge/football-field-valuation-real-example-excel-template/)). Corporate Finance Institute explains the name: the bars look like the yard lines on a football field ([CFI](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/financial-modeling/football-field-chart/)).
Typical places for the chart:
* **Pitchbooks and sell-side materials**, as the valuation summary after the methodology pages. Our guide to [investment banking pitchbook automation](/en/blog/investment-banking-pitchbook-automation) covers how that page fits into the wider book.
* **Fairness opinions**, where an adviser shows how the agreed price compares with the ranges of the methods it ran.
* **Investment committee papers**, where a buyer shows its proposed bid against the value range before asking for approval. The structure of such a paper is in our [investment committee presentation template](/en/blog/investment-committee-presentation-template).
Its purpose is a cross-check. Wall Street Prep puts it as sanity-checking "various methodologies against one another". It does not produce a valuation by itself.
## The example used throughout [#the-example-used-throughout]
All figures are equity value in EUR million for an illustrative company. The template contains exactly these numbers.
| Method | Key assumptions | Low | High |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | --: | ---: |
| 52-week trading range | Market capitalisation, last 52 weeks | 410 | 520 |
| Trading comparables | EV/EBITDA 8.0x to 10.0x | 450 | 580 |
| Precedent transactions | EV/EBITDA 9.0x to 11.5x | 500 | 650 |
| DCF | WACC 8% to 10%, terminal growth 1.5% to 2.5% | 470 | 610 |
| LBO | Sponsor IRR 20% to 25% | 420 | 540 |
| Indicative offer | | 560 | |
## How to read it [#how-to-read-it]
Read the chart from the offer line outwards. In the example:
* **The offer of EUR 560m is above the 52-week high of EUR 520m**, an implied premium of about 7.7% to the high. Shareholders are offered more than the market valued the company at any point in the past year.
* **It sits in the upper part of the trading comparables range** (450 to 580) and inside the DCF range (470 to 610).
* **It is in the lower half of the precedent transactions range** (500 to 650, midpoint 575). Past acquirers paid more for comparable companies, which a seller's adviser will point out.
* **It is above the top of the LBO range** (540). Under the stated return targets, a financial sponsor would struggle to match the offer, which is relevant when judging the likely competition.
* **All five ranges overlap between EUR 500m and EUR 520m.** That zone is where every method agrees, but it is a cross-check, not "the value".
These five statements are what the deal team discusses. The chart is good when a reader can make them in under a minute.
## The methodology rows and how the ranges are derived [#the-methodology-rows-and-how-the-ranges-are-derived]
Each bar is the output of a separate analysis. The football field only summarises; the ranges come from the model.
| Row | What it reflects | How the range is set |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 52-week trading range | What the market paid for the shares | Lowest and highest market capitalisation over the period, using an undisturbed share price before rumours |
| Trading comparables | Relative value against listed peers | A range of peer multiples applied to the target's metric, then converted from enterprise to equity value |
| Precedent transactions | Prices paid in comparable acquisitions | A range of transaction multiples; these include the takeover premium paid |
| DCF | Intrinsic value of the forecast cash flows | Sensitivity of the discount rate and terminal growth around the base case |
| LBO | What a financial buyer can afford | The price at which a sponsor reaches its target IRR; a higher target IRR gives a lower price |
A few points behind the table:
**Trading comparables** compare the business with similar listed companies ([CFI](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/valuation/valuation-methods/)). The range should come from a peer set with a documented rationale, not from the multiples that produce a convenient answer.
**Precedent transactions** reflect prices paid for companies that were sold, and CFI notes that these values "include the take-over premium" and "can easily become stale-dated". That is why the precedent bar often sits to the right of the comparables bar.
**DCF** forecasts unlevered free cash flow and discounts it back to today ([CFI](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/valuation/valuation-methods/)). In the example, the low end combines the 10% WACC with 1.5% terminal growth, the high end the 8% WACC with 2.5% growth. Corner-to-corner ranges get wide quickly, so many teams show a narrower inner range and state which one they used.
**LBO** runs in the opposite direction to the others: the 25% IRR target gives the low end (420) and the 20% target the high end (540), because a buyer demanding a higher return can pay less.
**Enterprise to equity value.** Multiples such as EV/EBITDA produce enterprise value. Every row of an equity value football field must be bridged with the same net debt figure at the same date, or the bars are not comparable.
## How to build a football field chart in PowerPoint [#how-to-build-a-football-field-chart-in-powerpoint]
### Step 1: insert a stacked bar chart [#step-1-insert-a-stacked-bar-chart]
Select **Insert > Chart**, choose **Bar** and then **Stacked Bar** ([Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/training/use-charts-and-graphs-in-your-presentation)). A stacked bar is the right base because it lets the first series push the visible bar to the start of each range.
### Step 2: enter the data [#step-2-enter-the-data]
In the chart worksheet, plot columns A to C and keep the high value in a helper column D outside the chart range:
| A: Method | B: Low (invisible) | C: Range (`=D-B`) | D: High (helper) |
| --------------------------------------------- | -----------------: | ----------------: | ---------------: |
| 52-week trading range | 410 | 110 | 520 |
| Trading comparables (EV/EBITDA 8.0x to 10.0x) | 450 | 130 | 580 |
| Precedent transactions (9.0x to 11.5x) | 500 | 150 | 650 |
| DCF (WACC 8% to 10%, TGR 1.5% to 2.5%) | 470 | 140 | 610 |
| LBO (IRR 20% to 25%) | 420 | 120 | 540 |
Typing the range as a formula matters. When someone updates a high value, the bar follows automatically.
### Step 3: hide the base series [#step-3-hide-the-base-series]
Select the Low series, open **Format Data Series**, set **Fill** to **No fill** and **Border** to **No line**. Delete the legend; the row labels already say what each bar is.
### Step 4: reverse the category order [#step-4-reverse-the-category-order]
Bar charts plot the first row at the bottom. Select the vertical (category) axis, then **Format > Format Selection > Axis Options** and tick **Categories in reverse order** ([Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/PowerPoint/change-the-plotting-order-of-categories-values-or-data-series)). The 52-week range now appears at the top. Reversing the order also moves the value axis to the top of the chart; in the same axis options, set the horizontal axis to cross at the maximum category to bring it back to the bottom.
### Step 5: gap width and axis bounds [#step-5-gap-width-and-axis-bounds]
Set **Gap Width** to around 50% in **Series Options** so the bars are clearly heavier than the gaps. Then fix the value axis: minimum 350, maximum 700, major unit 50. Fixed bounds stop PowerPoint from rescaling when a range changes, which keeps the offer line in the right place and makes two versions of the chart comparable.
### Step 6: label low and high correctly [#step-6-label-low-and-high-correctly]
Add data labels to the Low series and set the position to **Inside End**. They now appear just left of each visible bar and show the low value. For the high value, add labels to the Range series, open **Label Options**, tick **Values From Cells**, select D2 to D6, and untick **Value** ([Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/office/add-or-remove-data-labels-in-a-chart-884bf2f1-2e29-454e-8b42-f467c9f4eb2d)). Without that step, the label shows the spread (110) instead of the high (520), which is the most common error on this chart.
### Step 7: add the offer line [#step-7-add-the-offer-line]
The simplest robust method: with the axis bounds fixed, draw a vertical line at EUR 560m and label it "Indicative offer: EUR 560m". Because the scale no longer moves, the line stays correct as long as nobody changes the bounds. Teams that reuse the chart in a template sometimes add the line as a scatter series on a secondary axis instead, which ties it to a cell value at the cost of a more complex chart. Either way, check the line against the axis after every update.
### Step 8: title and footnotes [#step-8-title-and-footnotes]
Write an action title that states the conclusion: *"Indicative offer of EUR 560m sits above the 52-week high and within the comparables and DCF ranges."* In the footnote, state the valuation date, share price date, net debt used for the equity bridge, and the source of each analysis.
## Design rules [#design-rules]
**Order rows deliberately.** Market references first (52-week range, analyst targets if used), then relative valuation (comparables, precedents), then intrinsic (DCF), then LBO. Alternatively, follow the order of the methodology pages in the book. Do not reorder by result to make a story look tidier.
**Put assumptions in the row labels.** "Trading comparables (EV/EBITDA 8.0x to 10.0x)" lets a reader judge the bar without turning pages.
**Use one bar colour, one accent.** Colour by method only if it carries meaning. Reserve the accent colour for the offer or current price line.
**One unit, one basis.** Either equity value in EUR million or value per share, never both on the same chart. State it in the subtitle.
**Same scale across versions.** If the chart appears in the board deck and the appendix, use identical bounds, so nobody compares two different scales.
**Keep it native.** The chart should be a real PowerPoint chart with its data in the file. A reviewer can then check every bar against the valuation model. offgen works the same way: its charts and tables are native PowerPoint objects in your master, not screenshots or flattened images ([native PowerPoint output](/en/product/editable-templates)). The broader argument for this is in our guide to [Excel to PowerPoint automation](/en/blog/excel-to-powerpoint-automation).
## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| High label shows the spread | Reader sees 110 instead of 520 | Values From Cells on the Range series |
| Rows in the wrong order | First method at the bottom | Categories in reverse order |
| Mixing enterprise and equity value | Bars not comparable | Bridge every row with the same net debt at the same date |
| Axis left on automatic | Scale jumps, offer line drifts | Fixed minimum, maximum and unit |
| Corner-to-corner DCF range | Bar so wide it says nothing | Narrower inner range, stated in the label |
| Offer line drawn and forgotten | Line at the old value after an update | Check the line on every revision |
| Dates not aligned | Share price, multiples and model from different days | One valuation date in the footnote |
| Bars that do not match the methodology pages | Credibility loss in review | Reconcile each row to its source page before release |
The last row is a standard pitchbook review check: the football field must match the underlying method outputs. For the complementary chart on the earnings side, see our [waterfall chart guide](/en/blog/waterfall-chart-powerpoint), which builds an EBITDA bridge with the same invisible-base technique.
## Free football field chart template [#free-football-field-chart-template]
[Download free template (.pptx)](/downloads/templates/football-field-chart-template.pptx)
The template contains the example from this article as a native PowerPoint horizontal stacked bar chart with an invisible base series and the indicative offer line at EUR 560m. To reuse it, open the chart data, replace the low and high values and the row labels, and keep the range column as high minus low. If you change the offer or the axis bounds, check that the offer line still sits on the right value. Apply your own master before you use it in a client document.
The template solves the football field. offgen builds the whole pitchbook in your institutional master, with native, editable charts and tables from your approved data, locked legal pages, and figures and charts that update when the numbers change.
## Build the whole pitchbook in your own master with offgen [#build-the-whole-pitchbook-in-your-own-master-with-offgen]
The football field is one page. The pitchbook around it carries methodology pages, comparables tables, a DCF summary, credentials and legal pages, and every one of them has to sit in your institutional master. offgen builds that book for you, directly in PowerPoint.
* **Pitchbook skills with a fixed structure.** Configure a pitchbook once with fixed legal pages, standard valuation sections, an approved cover structure and variable deal-team content ([skill builder](/en/product/skill-builder)). Every mandate starts from the same approved book.
* **Native charts and tables from your numbers.** The ranges come from your model; offgen places them in native, editable charts and tables that reviewers check against the source like any other .pptx ([native PowerPoint output](/en/product/editable-templates)).
* **Protected pages stay protected.** Lock methodology pages and disclaimers with [lockable elements](/en/product/lockable-elements), and they appear exactly as compliance approved them.
* **Update instead of rebuild.** When the share price or the model moves, offgen updates figures and charts in the existing deck, so nobody re-keys a table.
The same master-first approach let Cross Consult replace six location decks with one master workflow ([read the Cross Consult story](/en/case-studies/cross-consult)).
The sector view is on our [banking page](/en/industries/banking), and the deal context is in our overview of [AI in M\&A](/en/blog/ai-in-ma). Your next step: bring your pitchbook master to a [demo](/#contact) and see the workflow run on your own template.
This article was written by [Florian Ploszczyk](/en/authors/florian-ploszczyk).
## Frequently asked questions
### What is a football field chart?
A football field chart is a floating horizontal bar chart that places the valuation range from each method side by side: typically the 52-week trading range, trading comparables, precedent transactions, a DCF and an LBO analysis. A vertical line often marks the offer price or current share price, so readers see at a glance where it sits against each range.
### Why is it called a football field chart?
The horizontal bars stacked above each other resemble the yard lines on an American football field. Corporate Finance Institute gives the same explanation. The chart is also called a valuation summary or floating bar chart.
### How do I make a football field chart in PowerPoint?
Insert a stacked bar chart. Use the low value of each method as the first series and make it invisible, then add the difference between high and low as the second series. Reverse the category order so the first method appears at the top, fix the axis bounds, label the low and high values, and add a vertical line for the offer price.
### Which valuation methods belong in a football field?
Wall Street Prep lists DCF, LBO analysis, comparable companies, precedent transactions and the 52-week trading range as the standard set, with liquidation and sum of the parts analyses as optional rows. Analyst price targets are common for listed companies. Include only methods you actually ran and can defend.
### Is the overlap of all bars the fair value?
No. The overlap shows where the methods agree under their assumptions, which is a useful cross-check, not a conclusion. Methods carry different weight in different situations: precedent transactions include takeover premiums, an LBO reflects what a financial buyer can afford. The valuation view remains a judgement the deal team has to explain.
### Does the axis of a football field have to start at zero?
No. A football field compares ranges, not magnitudes, so a truncated axis is normal and makes the differences readable. Set fixed bounds, show the unit and valuation date, and keep the same scale whenever you compare two versions of the chart.
## Sources
1. [Football Field Valuation Chart: Excel Tutorial and Example](https://www.wallstreetprep.com/knowledge/football-field-valuation-real-example-excel-template/) — Wall Street Prep, 2024-04-17; accessed 2026-10-20.
2. [Football Field Chart](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/financial-modeling/football-field-chart/) — Corporate Finance Institute; accessed 2026-10-20.
3. [Valuation Methods: Three Main Approaches to Value a Business](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/valuation/valuation-methods/) — Corporate Finance Institute; accessed 2026-10-20.
4. [Use charts and graphs in your presentation](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/training/use-charts-and-graphs-in-your-presentation) — Microsoft Support; accessed 2026-10-20.
5. [Change the plotting order of categories, values, or data series](https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/PowerPoint/change-the-plotting-order-of-categories-values-or-data-series) — Microsoft Support; accessed 2026-10-20.
6. [Add or remove data labels in a chart](https://support.microsoft.com/office/add-or-remove-data-labels-in-a-chart-884bf2f1-2e29-454e-8b42-f467c9f4eb2d) — Microsoft Support; accessed 2026-10-20.
7. [Lockable elements](https://www.offgen.ai/en/product/lockable-elements) — offgen; accessed 2026-10-20.
8. [Banking industry solutions](https://www.offgen.ai/en/industries/banking) — offgen; accessed 2026-10-20.
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