During the last few years, Jana Industries has been too constrained by the high cost of capital to make many capital investments. Recently, though, capital costs have been declining, and the company has decided to look seriously at a major expansion program proposed by the marketing department. Assume that you are an assistant to Leigh Jones, the financial vice president. Your first task is to estimate Janas cost of capital. Jones has provided you with the following data, which she believes may be relevant to your task:

• The firms tax rate is 25%

• The current price of Janas 12% coupon, semiannual payment , noncallable bonds with 15 years remaining to maturity is $1,153,72. There are 70,000 bonds. Jana does not use short-term interest-bearing debt on a permanent basis. New bonds would be privately placed with no flotation cost.

• The current price of the firms 10%, $100 par value, quarterly divided, perpetual preferred stock is $116.95. There are 200,000 outstanding shares. Jana would incur flotation costs equal to 5% of the proceeds on a new issue.

• Janas common stock is currently selling at $50 per share. There are 3 million outstanding common shares. Its last dividend (D0)was $3.12, and dividends are expected to grow at a constant rate of 5.8% in the foreseeable future. Janas beta is 1.2, the yeld on T-bonds is 5.6%, and the market risk premium is estimated to be 6%. For the own-bond-yield-plus-judgemental-risk-premium approach, the firm uses a 3.2% risk premium.

1. Use Janas target weights to calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC).

2. What factors influence a companys WACC?

3. Should the company use its overall WACC as the hurdle rate for each of its divisions?