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Firms A and B aare identical except for for theirlevel of debt and the interst r

ID: 2661788 • Letter: F

Question

Firms A and B aare identical except for for theirlevel of debt and the interst rates they pay on debr. Each has $2million in assets, $400,000 of EBIT, and 40% tax rate. However,firm A has a debt-toassets ration of 50% and pays 12% interst onits debts, while firm B has a 30% debt ratio and pays only 10%interest onits debts. What is the difference between the two firmsROEs? Firms A and B aare identical except for for theirlevel of debt and the interst rates they pay on debr. Each has $2million in assets, $400,000 of EBIT, and 40% tax rate. However,firm A has a debt-toassets ration of 50% and pays 12% interst onits debts, while firm B has a 30% debt ratio and pays only 10%interest onits debts. What is the difference between the two firmsROEs?

Explanation / Answer

Firm "A"

Firm "B"

$2,000,000

$2,000,000

$400,000

$400,000

40%

40%

50%

30%

12%

10%

$2,000,000 * 0.50

$2,000,000 * 0.30

$1,000,000

$600,000

$400,000.00

$400,000.00

($120,000.00)

($60,000.00)

$280,000.00

$340,000.00

($112,000.00)   

($136,000.00)

$168,000.00

$204,000.00

$2,000,000 - $1,000,000

$2,000,000 - $600,000

$1,000,000

$$1,400,000

$168,000 / $1,000,000

$204,000 / $1,400,000

0.168

0.1457

16.80%

14.57%

Firm "A"

Firm "B"

Total Assets

$2,000,000

$2,000,000

EBIT

$400,000

$400,000

Income Tax

40%

40%

Debt Ratio

50%

30%

Interest rate on Debt

12%

10%

Calculating TotalDebt: Debt Ratio = Total Debt/ Total Assets Total Debt = Debt Ratio * Total Assets

$2,000,000 * 0.50

$2,000,000 * 0.30

Total Debt

$1,000,000

$600,000

Calculating Net Income: EBIT

$400,000.00

$400,000.00

Less: Interest on Debt

($120,000.00)

($60,000.00)

EBT

$280,000.00

$340,000.00

Less: Income Tax

($112,000.00)   

($136,000.00)

Net Income

$168,000.00

$204,000.00

ROE = Net Income / TotalEquity Total Equity = Total Assets - Total Debt

$2,000,000 - $1,000,000

$2,000,000 - $600,000

Total Equity

$1,000,000

$$1,400,000

Return on Equity

$168,000 / $1,000,000

$204,000 / $1,400,000

Return on Equity

0.168

0.1457

ROE

16.80%

14.57%

Difference between ROE (16.80%- 14.57%)    =   2.23%