Northwest Utility Company faces increasing needs for capital. Fortunately, it has an Aa$3$ credit rating. The corporate tax rate is $35$ percent. Northwest$$s treasurer is trying to determine the corporation$$s current weighted average cost of capital in order to assess the profitability of capital budgeting projects.

Historically, the corporation$$s earnings and dividends per share have increased about $6\mathrm{.}2$ percent annually and this should continue in the future. Northwest$$s common stock is selling at $$63$ per share, and the company will pay a $$5\mathrm{.}50$ per share dividend $($D$1)$

$.$

The company$$s $$94$ preferred stock has been yielding $7$ percent in the current market. Flotation costs for the company have been estimated by its investment banker to be $$5\mathrm{.}00$ for preferred stock.

The company$$s optimum capital structure is $45$ percent debt, $25$ percent preferred stock, and $30$ percent common equity in the form of retained earnings. Refer to the following table on bond issues for comparative yields on bonds of equal risk to Northwest.

Data on Bond Issues

Issue Moody$$s Rating Price Yield to Maturity

Utilities:

Pacific Electric Power $71/42033$ Aa$2$ $ $890\mathrm{.}188\mathrm{.}64\%$

Southwest Bell$73/82035$ Aa$3890\mathrm{.}258\mathrm{.}63$

Virginia Power & Light$81/22032$ A$2965\mathrm{.}668\mathrm{.}66$

Industrials:

Issac & Johnson$63/42033$ Aaa $870\mathrm{.}248\mathrm{.}44\%$

Wholesale Department Stores$71/82033$ A$2950\mathrm{.}928\mathrm{.}33$

Hotel Corporation$102035$ B$21,030\mathrm{.}109\mathrm{.}96$

Compute the cost of debt, Kd

$.$