Johnson Tire Distributors has an unlevered cost of capital of 13 percent, a tax rate of 35 percent, and expected earnings before interest and taxes of $1,900. The company has $3,600 in bonds outstanding that have a 6 percent coupon and pay interest annually. The bonds are selling at par value. What is the cost of equity?
13.76 percent
15.29 percent
10.70 percent
9.17 percent
12.23 percent
Value of unlevered firm = Expected EBIT x (1 - tax rate) / Unlevered cost of capital = $1900 x (1 - 0.35) / 13% = $9500
Value of levered firm = Value of unlevered firm + Value of bonds or debt x tax rate = $9500 + $3600 x 35% = $10760
Value of Equity = Value of levered firm - Value of bonds or debt = $10760 - $3600 = $7160
As per MM Proposition II, cost of equity of a levered firm can be computed as -
where, ROE = return on equity or cost of equity, Kd = pre tax cost of debt, T = tax rate, D/E = Debt to equity ratio
% or 15.29%
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