Question

You are given the following information for Watson Power Co. Assume the company’s tax rate is 23 percent. Debt: 8,000 5.7 percent coupon bonds outstanding, $1,000 par value, 23 years to maturity, selling for 105 percent of par; the bonds make semiannual payments. Common stock: 410,000 shares outstanding, selling for $59 per share; the beta is 1.10. Preferred stock: 17,500 shares of 3.5 percent preferred stock outstanding, currently selling for $80 per share. The par value is $100 per share. Market: 7 percent market risk premium and 4.5 percent risk-free rate. What is the company's WACC? (Do not round intermediate calculations and enter your answer as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places, e.g., 32.16.)

Answer 1

Answer:

the company's WACC is 10.04%

Explanation:

Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is the minimum return that a project must offer before it can be accepted. It shows the risk of the company.

Capital Source           Market Value        Weight           Cost Total     Weight  

Debt                            $8,400,000            27.71%             4.389 %      1.22%

Common stock           $24,190,000           71.17%              12.2%         8.68%

Preferred stock           $1,400,000              4.12%               3.5%         0.14%

Total                          $ 33,990,000          100.00%                            10.04%

Calculation of Market Value and Cost of Debt

Market Value = 8,000×($1,000×105%) = $8,400,000

Cost of Debt = interest × (1 - tax rate)

                      = 5.7% × ( 1-0.23)

                      =  4.389 %

Calculation of Market Value and Cost of Common stock

Market Value = 410,000× $59 = $24,190,000

Cost of Common stock = Risk free Rate + Beta × Market Premium

                                       = 4.5% + 1.10× 7%

                                       = 12.2%

Calculation of Market Value and Cost of Common stock

Market Value = 17,500× $80 = $1,400,000

Cost of Preferred stock = 3.5%