One of the most important components of stock valuation is a firm$$s estimated growth rate. Financial statements provide the information needed to estimate the growth rate.

Consider this case:

Robert Gillman, an equity research analyst at Gillman Advisors, believes in efficient markets. He has been following the mining industry for the past $10$ years and needs to determine the constant growth rate that he should use while valuing Pan Asia Mining Co$.$

Robert has the following information available:

$$ Pan Asia Mining Co$.$s stock $($Ticker: PAMC$)$ is trading at $$17\mathrm{.}50.$

$$ The company has forecasted net income and book value of equity for the coming year to be $$1,104,600$ and $$8,645,000,$ respectively.

$$ The company has also been paying dividends for the past eight years and has maintained a dividend payout ratio of $35\mathrm{.}000000\%.$

Based on this information, Robert$$s forecast of PAMC$$s growth rate in earnings and dividends should be:

$19\mathrm{.}17\%$

$8\mathrm{.}31\%$

$6\mathrm{.}71\%$

$22\mathrm{.}37\%$

Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship between earnings and dividends when all other factors are held constant?

Growth in earnings requires growth in dividends.

Retaining a higher percentage of earnings will result in a higher growth rate.

Long$-$run earnings growth occurs primarily because firms pay dividends to reward their shareholders for investing in the company