Check that in $2000,$ the company$$s debt to $($book$)$ equity ratio was $1\mathrm{.}58.$ Assume that the

company instead had much less leverage, financing its operations with $50\%$ less debt

and making up the difference by issuing more shares. This would imply a new debt$-$to$-$ equity

ratio of $0\mathrm{.}44.$ How many shares would then be outstanding? How would P$/$E and

EV$/$EBITDA multiples be impacted? What does it imply for the usefulness of these multiples?