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Commonwealth Construction (CC) needs $1 million of assets to get started, and it

ID: 2813186 • Letter: C

Question

Commonwealth Construction (CC) needs $1 million of assets to get started, and it expects to have a basic earning power ratio of 15%. CC will own no securities, so all of its income will be operating income. If it so chooses, CC can finance up to 60% of its assets with debt, which will have an 11% interest rate. If it chooses to use debt, the firm will finance using only debt and common equity, so no preferred stock will be used. Assuming a 30% tax rate on all taxable income, what is the difference between CC's expected ROE if it finances these assets with 60% debt versus its expected ROE if it finances these assets entirely with common stock? Round your answer to two decimal places.

Explanation / Answer

BEP (Basic Earning Power) ratio = 15%

BEP (Basic Earning Power) ratio = EBIT/ Total Assets

Total Assets = 1,000,000

BEP = 15%

15% = EBIT/ 1,000,000

EBIT = 150,000

Taxes = 30%

Net Income = 150,000 * (1 - 0.30)

Net Income = 105,000

ROE = Net Income/ Total Equity

As total debt is 0, so total assets will be equal to total equity

ROE = 105,000/ 1,000,000

ROE = 10.50%

Part B:

Debt = 60% of assets

Debt = 600,000

Equity = 40% of Assets

Equity = 400,000

EBIT = 150,000

Interest = 11% * Debt

Interest = 11% * 600,000

Interest = 66,000

EBT = 150,000 - 66,000

EBT = 84,000

Net Income = EBT * (1 - Tax Rate)

Net Income = 84,000 * (1 - 30%)

Net Income = 58,800

ROE = Net Income/ Equity

ROE = 58,800/ 400,000

ROE = 14.70%

Difference between ROE = 14.70% - 10.50%

Difference between ROE = 4.20%

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