Required:

$5\mathrm{.}1$ Discuss the implications of changing from the residual dividend policy to a stable pay$-$out ratio policy.

Read the scenario below and answer the questions that follow.

A company is under pressure from influential shareholders to change its dividend policy. The company has always followed the residual dividend policy, but the influential shareholders feel that the company needs to change to a stable pay$-$out ratio policy. The company just reported earnings of $R232m$ for the year ended $31$ March $2024.$ The company is considering the following investment opportunities for the upcoming financial year:

$\backslash$table$[[\backslash$table$[[$Investment$],[$opportunity$]],$Cost,Internal rate of return$],[$A$,$R$72$m$,14\mathrm{.}28\%$