1. W eatherall Enterprises has no debt or preferred stock it is an all-equity fi
ID: 2706375 • Letter: 1
Question
1. Weatherall Enterprises has no debt or preferred stock it is an all-equity firm and has a beta of 2.0. The chief financial officer is evaluating a project with an expected return of 14%, before any risk adjustment. The risk-free rate is 5%, and the market risk premium is 4%. The project being evaluated is riskier than an average project, in terms of both its beta risk and its total risk. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
a. The project should definitely be rejected because its expected return (before risk adjustment) is less than its required return.
b. Riskier-than-average projects should have their expected returns increased to reflect their higher risk. Clearly, this would make the project acceptable regardless of the amount of the adjustment.
c. The accept/reject decision depends on the firm's risk-adjustment policy. If Weatherall's policy is to increase the required return on a riskier-than-average project to 3% over rS, then it should reject the project.
d. Capital budgeting projects should be evaluated solely on the basis of their total risk.
Thus, insufficient information has been provided to make the accept/reject decision.
e. The project should definitely be accepted because its expected return (before any risk adjustments) is greater than its required return.
Explanation / Answer
Required rate of return = rf + beta*(MRP) = 5 + 2*(4) = 13%
Expected return > required return. So, project should be accepted if it is an average risk project. But, if the firm makes risk adjustment to reflect the higher than average risk, then it depends on risk adjustment.
Accept if Expected return > required return + risk adjustment
Risk adjustment = 3% So, above condition not satisfied. Hence, reject the project.
Answer: (C)
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