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

question 72

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:

Isoquants

Curves that represent combinations of different inputs that yield the same output, used in production theory to analyze input choices.

Inputs

The resources used in the production process to produce goods or services, including labor, materials, and capital.

Production Function

An equation that describes the relationship between inputs (like labor and capital) and the quantity of output produced.

Returns to Scale

The rate at which output increases as inputs are increased proportionately, in the context of production and cost functions in economics.