The board of directors of Cempaka Oil Berhad is considering investing in a new palm oil refinery. To evaluate the financial feasibility of the new palm oil refinery, they have sought your assistance to compute their weighted average cost of capital (WACC) to be used as a discount rate in the investment appraisal exercise.

You have been provided with the following information:

Equity Number of Ordinary shares 36 million

3% Preference shares (nominal value of RM1 per share) RM11 million

6% Coupon 5-year bonds (par value RM1,000 each) RM15 million

Long-term loan (variable rate) RM4 million

The current share price of ordinary shares is RM2.50 each. Cempaka Oil Berhads has just paid an ordinary dividend of 28 sen per share. The company pays out 40% of its earnings as dividends and is expected to continue this policy going forward. Dividends are expected to grow at 9.24% annually. The current market price of the preference shares is 70 sen per share. The 6% coupon bonds have a current market price of RM1,000. Coupon payments are made semi-annually, and the bonds mature in 4 years. Cempaka Oil Berhad obtained the long-term loan from BHL Islamic Bank (BHILB). The current Base Rate (BR) of BHLIB is 6.85%. The long-term loan is charged at BR + 0.5% per annum. Cempaka Oil Berhads corporate tax rate is 25%, the expected return on the new palm oil refinery is 15.4% and it is 30th September 2020 now. Calculate Cempaka Oil Berhads weighted average cost of capital (WACC) as at 30th September 2020 based on the information provided above. Should Cempaka Oil Berhad invest in the new palm oil refinery?