The managers of State Bank have been approached by City Bank about a possible merger.
State Bank is asking a price of $171.78 million to be purchased by City Bank. City Bank
currently has total cash flows of $30 million that are growing at 2 percent annually.
Managers of State Bank estimate that because of synergies the merged firm’s cash flows
will increase by an additional 6 percent for the first four years following the merger. After
the first four years, managers of State Bank have estimated that incremental cash flows
will grow at a rate of 3 percent. The WACC for the merged firms is 11 percent. Managers
of City Bank agree that cash flows should grow at an additional 6 percent for the first four
years, but are unsure of the long-term growth rate in incremental cash flows estimated by
City Bank. Calculate the minimum growth rate needed after the first four years such that
City Bank would see this merger as a positive NPV project.