Inmid-2009, Rite Aid hadCCC-rated, 20-year bonds outstanding with a yield to maturity of 17.3%. At thetime, similar maturity Treasuries had a yield of 5%. Suppose the market risk premium is 4% and you believe RiteAid's bonds have a beta of 0.39. The expected loss rate of these bonds in the event of default is 53%.

a. What annual probability of default would be consistent with the yield to maturity of these bonds inmid-2009?

b. Inmid-2015, Rite-Aid's bonds had a yield of 6.7 %, while similar maturity Treasuries had a yield of 1.4 %. What probability of default would you estimatenow?