Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 January 2013
Let $(G, \mu )$ be a discrete group equipped with a generating probability measure, and let $\Gamma $ be a finite index subgroup of $G$. A $\mu $-random walk on $G$, starting from the identity, returns to $\Gamma $ with probability one. Let $\theta $ be the hitting measure, or the distribution of the position in which the random walk first hits $\Gamma $. We prove that the Furstenberg entropy of a $(G, \mu )$-stationary space, with respect to the action of $(\Gamma , \theta )$, is equal to the Furstenberg entropy with respect to the action of $(G, \mu )$, times the index of $\Gamma $ in $G$. The index is shown to be equal to the expected return time to $\Gamma $. As a corollary, when applied to the Furstenberg–Poisson boundary of $(G, \mu )$, we prove that the random walk entropy of $(\Gamma , \theta )$ is equal to the random walk entropy of $(G, \mu )$, times the index of $\Gamma $ in $G$.