Cartwright Communications Is Considering Making a Change to Its Capital

question 43

Multiple Choice

Cartwright Communications is considering making a change to its capital structure to reduce its cost of capital and increase firm value.Right now,Cartwright has a capital structure that consists of 20% debt and 80% equity,based on market values.(Its D/S ratio is 0.25. ) The risk-free rate is 6% and the market risk premium,r_M − r_RF,is 5%.Currently the company's cost of equity,which is based on the CAPM,is 12% and its tax rate is 40%.What would be Cartwright's estimated cost of equity if it were to change its capital structure to 50% debt and 50% equity?

• A) 13.00%
• B) 13.64%
• C) 14.35%
• D) 14.72%
• E) 15.60%

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Definitions:

Direct Labor Hours

The total hours worked by employees directly involved in the production process, used in calculating cost allocations and efficiency.

Allocation Base

A criterion or measure used for distributing or apportioning costs among various cost objects in a fair, equitable, and rational manner.

Plantwide Overhead Rate Method

A cost accounting method that applies a single overhead rate to all units produced across different departments or processes in a facility.

Cost Pools

A grouping of individual costs from which cost allocations are made later, used to distribute expenses in cost accounting practices.