(Growth rate in stock dividends and the cost of equity) In March of this past year, Manchester Electric (an electrical supply company operating throughout the southeastern United States and a publicly held company) was evaluating the cost of equity capital for the firm. The firm's shares are selling for $40.62 a share; it expects to pay an annual cash dividend of $4.92 a share next year, and the firm's investors anticipate an annual rate of return of 17%.

a. The constant annual rate of growth in dividends is ?% round to two decimals

b. The firm's beta is ? (Round to one decimal place.)

c. The cost of equity would (increase, decline or be the same) if the expected growth rate of dividends were to decline.

question does not give risk free market return. anything you can solve without it helps