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WACC long dash— Book weights and market weights Webster Company has compiled the

ID: 2790810 • Letter: W

Question

WACClong dash—Book

weights and market weightsWebster Company has compiled the information shown in the following table:

Source of capital

Book value

Market value

After-tax cost

Long-term debt

$4,000,000

$4,040,000

7%

Preferred stock

40,000

64,000

12%

Common stock equity

1,060,000

2,767,000

17%

Totals

$5,100,000

$6,871,000

.

a.Calculate the weighted average cost of capital using book value weights.

b. Calculate the weighted average cost of capital using market value

weights.

c. Compare the answers obtained in parts a and

b.Explain the differences.

Thank you!

Source of capital

Book value

Market value

After-tax cost

Long-term debt

$4,000,000

$4,040,000

7%

Preferred stock

40,000

64,000

12%

Common stock equity

1,060,000

2,767,000

17%

Totals

$5,100,000

$6,871,000

Explanation / Answer

Weighted average cost of capital (WACC) = wd*rd + we*re + wps*rps

where wd is weight of debt, rd is after tax cost of debt, we is weight of equity, re is after tax weight of equity, wps is weight of preferred stock and rps is after tax cost of preferred stock

rd = 7%

re = 12%

rps = 17%

a) In this we need to calculate WACC using book value weights

Book value of Long term debt = $4,000,000

Book value of preferred stock = $40,000

Book value of common stock equity = $1,060,000

wd = book value of long term debt / (book value of debt + book value of equity + book value of common stock equity)

= 4,000,000 / 5,100,000 = 0.78

we = book value of common stock equity / (book value of debt + book value of equity + book value of common stock equity) = 1,060,000 / 5,100,000 = 0.21

wps = book value of preferred stock / (book value of debt + book value of equity + book value of common stock equity) = 40,000 / 5,100,000 = 0.01

WACC = 0.78*7 + 0.21*17 + 0.01*12 = 9.12%

b) In this we need to calculate WACC using market value weights

Market value of Long term debt = $4,040,000

Market value of preferred stock = $64,000

Market value of common stock equity = $2,767,000

wd = market value of long term debt / (market value of debt + market value of equity + market value of common stock equity)

= 4,040,000 / 6,871,000 = 0.59

we = market value of common stock equity / (market value of debt + market value of equity + market value of common stock equity) = 2,767,000 / 6,871,000 = 0.40

wps = market value of preferred stock / (market value of debt + market value of equity + market value of common stock equity) = 64,000 / 6,871,000 = 0.01

WACC = 0.59*7 + 0.40*17 + 0.01*12 = 11.07%

c) WACC has increased by 11.07-9.12 = 1.96% when we calculate it by market value

If we see the after tax cost of common stock is equity is much more than after tax cost of long term debt. Share of market value of equity is almost doubled when we are calculating WACC by using market values. So the value of WACC has increased when we are calculating it by using market values instread of book values