A 5-year project will require an investment of $100 million. This comprises of plant and machinery worth $80 million and a net working capital of $20 million. The entire outlay will be incurred at the projects commencement. Financing for the project has been arranged as follows: 80,000 new common shares are issued, the market price of which is $500 per share. These shares will offer a dividend of $4 per share in year 1, which is expected to grow at a rate of 9% per year for indefinite tenure. The remaining funds are borrowed by issuing 5-year, 9% semi-annual bonds, each bond having a face value of $1,000. These bonds now have a market value of $1,150 each. At the end of 5 years, fixed assets will fetch a net salvage value of $30 million, whereas the net working capital will be liquidated at its book value. The project is expected to increase the revenues of the firm by $120 million per year. Expenses, other than depreciation, interest and tax, will amount to $80 million per year. The firm is subject to a tax rate of 30% Plant and machinery will be depreciated at the rate of 25% per year as per the written-down value method.

1. Compute the cost of equity for this project using the formula rs = D1/P0 + g