Merriwether Building Has Operating Income of $20 Million,a Tax Rate

question 29

Multiple Choice

Merriwether Building has operating income of $20 million,a tax rate of 40%,and no debt.It pays out all of its net income as dividends and has a zero growth rate.The current stock price is $40 per share,and it has 2.5 million shares of stock outstanding.If it moves to a capital structure that has 40% debt and 60% equity (based on market values) ,its investment bankers believe its weighted average cost of capital would be 10%.What would its stock price be if it changes to the new capital structure?

• A) $40
• B) $48
• C) $52
• D) $54
• E) $60

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Definitions:

Net Present Value

A technique used in finance to determine the value of a series of future cash flows discounted back to their value in today's dollars.

Time Value

The principle that money in hand today is valued higher than the equivalent amount at a future date, owing to its ability to earn more over time.

Cash Flows

The total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business, particularly affecting its liquidity.

Arbitrary Cutoff Point

A subjective point or threshold set by decision-makers or researchers, beyond which certain actions are taken, rules applied, or categorizations made.