P7–24 ETHICS PROBLEM Melissa is trying to value Generic Utility, Inc.’s, stock, which is clearly not growing at all. Generic declared and paid a $5 dividend last year. The required rate of return for utility stocks is 11%, but Melissa is unsure about the financial reporting integrity of Generic’s finance team. She decides to add an extra 1%

“credibility” risk premium to the required return as part of her valuation analysis.

a. What is the value of Generic’s stock, assuming that the financials are trustworthy?

b. What is the value of Generic’s stock, assuming that Melissa includes the extra 1% “credibility” risk premium?

c. What is the difference between the values found in parts a and

b, and how might one interpret that difference?