Question

Shanken corp. issued a 30-year, 5.9 percent semiannual bond 6 years ago. the bond currently sells for 108 percent of its face value. the company's tax rate is 35 percent.
a. what is the pretax cost of debt

Answer 1

The pre-tax cost of debt is yield to maturity of the debt.

The yield to maturity of debt is calculated as -

Yield to maturity = ]Coupon payment + ( Face value - Current price) / Number of years)] / [ ( Face value + Current price) / 2]

Here,

Coupon payment = $ 29.50 (semi-annual, thus 5.9% / 2 * 1000)

Face value = $ 1,000

Price = $ 1,000 * 108% = $ 1,080

Number of years = 12 ( semi-annual, thus 6 years * 2)

Pre-tax cost of debt = [ 29.50 + (1,000 - 1080/12)] / [ (1000+1080)/2 ]

Pre-tax cost of debt = 2.196 %

Annual pre-tax cost of debt = = 2.20 % * 2 = 4.40%

After tax cost of debt = ( 1 - tax rate ) * Annual pre-tax cost of debt

After tax cost of debt = ( 1 - 35%) * 4.40 %

After tax cost of debt = 2.86 %