In: Finance
Federal Inc. currently finances with 25% debt (i.e., wd = 25%), but its new CFO is considering changing the capital structure so wd = 50% by issuing additional bonds and using the proceeds to repurchase and retire common shares so the percentage of common equity in the capital structure (wc) = 1 – wd. Given the data shown below, by how much would this recapitalization change the firm's cost of equity? (Hint: You must unlever the current beta and then use the unlevered beta to solve the problem.)
Risk-free rate, / rRF 5.00% / Tax rate, T 40%
Market risk premium, / RPM 6.00% / Current wd 25%
Current beta, / bL1 1.20 / Target wd 50%
Answer choices: a) 2.20% b) 2.30% c) 2.40 d) 2.50 e) 2.60