Your company has earnings per share of $$$$6.$ It has $1$ million shares$$ outstanding, each of which has a price of $$$$60.$ You are thinking of buying$$ TargetCo, which has earnings per share of $$$$3,1$ million shares$$ outstanding, and a price per share of $$$$52\mathrm{.}50.$ You will pay for TargetCo by issuing new shares. There are no expected synergies from the transaction. Complete parts a through d below.

Question content area bottom

Part $1$

a$.$ If you pay no premium to buy$$ TargetCo, what will your earnings per share be after the$$ merger?

Your new earnings per share will be $$$

$$

enter your response here.