Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Link Copied!

Question

1 Approved Answer

LeCompte Learning Solutions is considering making a change to its capital structure in hopes of increasing its value. The company's capital structure consists of debt

LeCompte Learning Solutions is considering making a change to its capital structure in hopes of increasing its value. The company's capital structure consists of debt and common stock. In order to estimate the cost of debt, the company has produced the following table:

Percent financed Percent financed Debt-to-equity Bond Before-tax
with debt (wd) with equity (ws) ratio = wd/ws = (D/S) Rating cost of debt
0.10 0.90 0.10/0.90 = 0.11 AAA 7.0%
0.20 0.80 0.20/0.80 = 0.25 AA 7.2
0.30 0.70 0.30/0.70 = 0.43 A 8.0
0.40 0.60 0.40/0.60 = 0.67 BBB 8.8
0.50 0.50 0.50/0.50 = 1.00 BB 9.6

The company uses the CAPM to estimate its cost of common equity, rs. The risk-free rate is 5% and the market risk premium is 6%. LeCompte estimates that if it had no debt its beta would be 1.0. (Its "unlevered beta," bU, equals 1.0.) The company's tax rate, T, is 25%. On the basis of this information, what is LeCompte's optimal capital structure, and what is the firm's cost of capital at this optimal capital structure?

a. ws = 0.8; wd = 0.2; WACC = 10.78%
b. ws = 0.7; wd = 0.3; WACC = 9.11%
c. ws = 0.6; wd = 0.4; WACC = 9.50%
d. ws = 0.9; wd = 0.1; WACC = 11.73%
e. ws = 0.5; wd = 0.5; WACC = 11.37%

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

Step: 1

blur-text-image

Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions

See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success

Step: 2

blur-text-image_2

Step: 3

blur-text-image_3

Ace Your Homework with AI

Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance

Get Started

Recommended Textbook for

Fiduciary Finance Investment Funds And The Crisis In Financial Markets

Authors: Martin Gold

1st Edition

1848448953, 9781848448957

More Books

Students also viewed these Finance questions

Question

Describe and discuss acceptance testing.

Answered: 1 week ago