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Union Street Records is considering a new capital structure. The CFO has prepare

ID: 2750855 • Letter: U

Question

Union Street Records is considering a new capital structure. The CFO has prepared a list of options:

The company currently has a debt-to-capital ratio of 0.75 (option 4) and an equity beta of 1.9. The tax rate is 34%.

The risk-free rate is 2% and the expected equity market risk premium is 9%.

1. What is the unlevered beta?

2. Find the levered beta for each option. What is the levered beta for option 2 (debt-to-capital ratio of 0.25)?

3. Find the cost of equity for each option. What is the cost of equity for option 2 (debt-to-capital ratio of 0.25)?

4. Find the WACC for each option. What is the WACC for option 3 (debt-to-capital ratio of 0.5)?

5. What is the WACC at the optimal capital structure?

Option Debt-to-capital ratio Bond rating Interest rate 1 0 AA 0.04 2 0.25 BBB 0.05 3 0.5 B 0.07 4 0.75 C 0.09

Explanation / Answer

Answer:1 Unlevered Beta=Levered Beta/(1+(1-t)(D/E))

=1.9/(1+(1-0.34)(0.75)

=1.9/1.495

=1.270

Answer:2 Levered beta=Unlevered beta*((1+(1-t)(D/E))

Option 1= 1.270((1+(1-0.34)(0)

=1.270

Option 2= 1.270((1+(1-0.34)(0.25))

=1.47955

Option 3= 1.270((1+(1-0.34)(0.5))

=1.6891

Option 4= 1.270((1+(1-0.34)(0.75))

=1.9

Answer:3 Ke=Rf+beta(Market risk premium)

Option 1=2%+1.270*9%

=13.43%

Option 2=2%+1.47955*9%

=15.32%

Option 3=2%+1.6891*9%

=17.20%

Option 4=2%+1.9*9%

=19.1%

Answer:4 WACC=Ke*We+Kd*Wd

Option 1=13.43%*100%+4%(1-0.34)*0%

=13.43%

Option 2=15.32%*0.75+5%(1-0.34)*0.25

=11.49%+0.825%

=12.315%

Option 3=17.20%*0.50+7%(1-0.34)*0.50

=8.6%+2.31%

=10.91%

Option 4=19.1%*0.25+9%(1-0.34)*0.75

=4.775%+4.455%

=9.23%

Answer:5 Optimal capital structure is the Option 4 .

Option 4=19.1%*0.25+9%(1-0.34)*0.75

=4.775%+4.455%

=9.23%

Because at this structure WACC is the minimum.