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Cost of capital schedule (one break point) A company plans to raise new capital

ID: 2643445 • Letter: C

Question

Cost of capital schedule (one break point) A company plans to raise new capital as follows:

                                                                Cost                       Proportion

Bonds payable                                       9%                          35%

Preferred Stock                                      15.5                        15

Common stock (retained earnings)     17.5                        50          

Total liabilities + equity                                                       100%

The firm forcasts it can retain 1 million of new earnings. If it requires additional common equity, it will sell a new issue of common stock at a cost of 18.5%.

Calculate the companys WACC using new retained earnings as the equity source.

Explanation / Answer

Since the value of Bonds and Preferred Stock is not given , it is not possible to find out the impact of the 1m new earning on the capital structure. Therefore , with the same capital structure and the cost of new equity @18.5% , ( Assuming equal 50% retained earning and 50% new equity ) we have calculated the existing and new WACC as follows:

Existing WACC=0.35*9+0.15*15.5+0.5*17.5=14.225

New WACC=0.35*9+0.15*15.5+0.25*17.5+0.25*18.5=14.475