Nighthawk Steel, a manufacturer of specialized tools, has $4,980,000 in assets. Short-term rates are 4 percent. Long-term rates are 6.5 percent. (Note that long-term rates imply a return to any equity). Earnings before interest and taxes are $1,040,000. The tax rate is 25 percent. Assume the term structure of interest rates becomes inverted, with short-term rates going to 9 percent and long-term rates 4.5 percentage points lower than short-term rates. If long-term financing is perfectly matched (hedged) with long-term asset needs, and the same is true of short-term financing, what will earnings be after taxes? For an example of perfectly hedged plans, see Figure 68. Earning after taxes $