LeCompte Learning Solutions Is Considering Making a Change to Its

question 12

Multiple Choice

LeCompte Learning Solutions is considering making a change to its capital structure in hopes of increasing its value.The company's capital structure consists of debt and common stock.In order to estimate the cost of debt, the company has produced the following table: $$\begin{array} { c c c c c } \begin{array} { c } \text { Percent financed } \\\text { with debt } \left( \mathrm { wd } _ { \mathrm { d } } \right) \end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Percent financed } \\\text { with equity } \left( \mathrm { w } _ { \mathrm { S } } \right) \end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Debt-to-equity } \\\text { ratio } = \mathrm { w } _ { \mathrm { d } } / \mathrm { w } _ { \mathrm { S } } = ( \mathrm { D } / \mathrm { S } ) \end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { B ond } \\\text { Rating }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Before-tax } \\\text { cost of debt }\end{array} \\\hline 0.10 & 0.90 & 0.10 / 0.90 = 0.11 & \text { AAA } & 7.0 \% \\0.20 & 0.80 & 0.20 / 0.80 = 0.25 & \text { AA } & 7.2 \\0.30 & 0.70 & 0.30 / 0.70 = 0.43 & \mathrm {~A} & 8.0 \\0.40 & 0.60 & 0.40 / 0.60 = 0.67 & \mathrm { BBB } & 8.8 \\0.50 & 0.50 & 0.50 / 0.50 = 1.00 & \mathrm { BB } & 9.6\end{array}$$ The company uses the CAPM to estimate its cost of common equity, r_s.The risk-free rate is 5% and the market risk premium is 6%.LeCompte estimates that if it had no debt its beta would be 1.0.(Its "unlevered beta," b_U, equals 1.0.) The company's tax rate, T, is 25%. On the basis of this information, what is LeCompte's optimal capital structure, and what is the firm's cost of capital at this optimal capital structure?

• A) w_s = 0.9; w_d = 0.1; WACC = 11.73%
• B) w_s = 0.8; w_d = 0.2; WACC = 10.78%
• C) w_s = 0.7; w_d = 0.3; WACC = 9.11%
• D) w_s = 0.6; w_d = 0.4; WACC = 9.50%
• E) w_s = 0.5; w_d = 0.5; WACC = 11.37%

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Definitions:

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Disinfectants are chemical agents used to eliminate or reduce harmful microorganisms on surfaces, in water, or in the air, to prevent infection and disease spread.

Hydrogen

A chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1, notable for being the lightest and most abundant element in the universe.

Oxygen

A chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8, essential for respiration in most terrestrial life forms and used in various industrial applications.