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How to find time series beta data

for companies in Datastream

“The beta factor of a stock relates movements in its price to movements in the market as a
whole. … showing the likely relative change for a given market movement and whether the stock
is prone to under- or over-react. … A beta above 1 is more volatile than the overall market, while
a beta below 1 is less volatile.” – Datastream definitions.

It’s possible to calculate historical betas for a company either through the
Datastream add-in in Excel or through the standard Datastream interface. This
guide shows

• how to install the Datastream add-in in Excel

• how to calculate historical betas for a company using the add-in in Excel
• how to calculate historical betas for a company in the Datastream
interface

HOW TO INSTALL THE DATASTREAM ADD-IN IN EXCEL

1. Open Excel and go to Tools, then Add-Ins

2. Select
Advanceoffice
and click OK

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3. If Advanceoffice is not
amongst the available add-ins,
browse to:

C:\Program Files\datastream\
datastream advance

and select Advanceoffice

4. Datastream is now accessible on the Excel toobar:

HOW TO CALCULATE HISTORICAL BETAS FOR A COMPANY USING THE

DATASTREAM ADD-IN IN EXCEL

1. From the Datastream-AFO drop-down menu in Excel, select time series

request

The time series request box will open:

2. To search for and select the data

series you require, click on the series
navigation button:

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3. In the
navigation
screen, key in
the required
company name
and click search

4. From
amongst the
results, select
the required
company by
clicking on its
name

5. The company’s mnemonic

code is now inserted in the
time series request box

6. To select a datatype
for betas, click on the
expression picker
button:

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7. Key in beta to display all the

relevant data types

8. Note: DS
HISTORICAL BETA
is generally the
correct data type
to use. It has the
code 897E

Highlight this data

type and click OK

9. The datatype 897E is now inserted

in the time series request box

10. Enter a start date

(for example -2Y) or
enter start and end
dates (mm/dd/yyyy)

Select the frequency

monthly

Note: Datastream can

only calculate
monthly historical
beta values. If you use
another frequency,
you’ll receive an error
message

Lastly click submit

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11. The results are displayed

HOW TO CALCULATE HISTORICAL BETAS FOR A COMPANY USING THE

DATASTREAM INTERFACE

1. Through the Start menu of the PC, open the application Datastream –
Advance 4.0

2. Select the 3. To search for

category and select the
equities data series you
require, click on
the series
navigation
button:

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4. Key in the company’s

name

and select status : all to

search both listed and
delisted companies

(or select active to

search currently listed
companies or dead to
search delisted
companies)

Click search

5. From
amongst the
results, select
the required
company by
clicking on its
name

6. The
company is 7. Select the
now comparison –
displayed on one or more
the interface series tab and
highlight time
series data

8. To select a
datatype for betas,
click on the
expression picker
button:

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9. Key in beta to display all the

relevant data types

10. Note: DS
HISTORICAL BETA is
generally the correct data
type to use. It has the
code 897E

Highlight this data type and

click OK

11. DS
historical beta
is now selected

Click the +
button to add
the company

12. Click on settings to select the 13. Select the

frequency monthly: required time period

and click run now

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14. The results are displayed and can be exported to Excel

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