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Consider the following table, which gives a security analyst\'s expected return

ID: 2783447 • Letter: C

Question

Consider the following table, which gives a security analyst's expected return on two stocks for two particular market returns:

a. What are the betas of the two stocks? (Round your answers to 2 decimal places.)


b. What is the expected rate of return on each stock if the market return is equally likely to be 7% or 20%? (Round your answers to 2 decimal places.)


c. If the T-bill rate is 8%, and the market return is equally likely to be 7% or 20%, what are the alphas of the two stocks? (Negative values should be indicated by a minus sign. Do not round intermediate calculations. Round your answers to 2 decimal places.)

Market Return Aggressive Stock Defensive Stock 7% 3.1% 4.9% 20 30 15

Explanation / Answer

a) When Market Return = 7%, A's expected return = 3.1%

When Market Return = 20%, A's expected return = 30%

Hence, a 13% change in Market Return leads to a 26.9% change in A's expected return.

Thus, A's Beta = 26.9/13 = 2.07

When Market Return = 7%, D's expected return = 4.9%

When Market Return = 20%, D's expected return = 15%

Hence, a 13% change in Market Return leads to a 10.1% change in D's expected return.

Thus, D's Beta = 10.1/13 = 0.78

b) Since both scenarios are equally probable, there is an equal chance of A's expected return being 3.1% and 30%

Thus, A's expected return = 0.5 * 3.1 + 0.5 * 30 = 16.55 %

Similarly, since both scenarios are equally probable, there is an equal chance of D's expected return being 4.9% and 15%

Thus, D's expected return = 0.5 * 4.9 + 0.5 * 15 = 9.95%

c)  The SML is determined by the market expected return of 0.5 x (20 + 7) = 13.5%. T bill rate is 8%. Therefore-

E(R) = 8% + (13.5% - 8%)

The aggressive stock has a fair expected return of: E(RA) = 8% + 2.07 (13.5% - 8%) = 19.385%, and the expected return by the analyst also 16.55 %. Thus, its alpha is -

D = actual expected return - required return given risk = 16.55%-19.385% = -2.835%

Similarly, the required return on the defensive stock is: 8% + 0.78 (13.5% - 8%) = 12.29% and the expected return by the analyst is 9.95 %.Thus, its alpha is -

D = actual expected return - required return given risk = 9.95%-12.29% = -2.34%