Chapter 13: Capital Structure and Leverage
47. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
Increasing its use of financial leverage is one way to increase a firm’s return on investors’ capital (ROIC).
If a firm lowered its fixed costs but increased its variable costs by just enough to hold total costs at the present
level of sales constant, this would increase its operating leverage.
The debt ratio that maximizes expected EPS generally exceeds the debt ratio that maximizes share price.
If a company were to issue debt and use the money to repurchase common stock, this would reduce its return
on investors’ capital (ROIC). (Assume that the repurchase has no impact on the company’s operating income.)
If a change in the bankruptcy code made bankruptcy less costly to corporations, this would tend to reduce
corporations’ debt ratios.
13-2 Business and Financial Risk
FOFM.BRIG.17.13.02 – Business and Financial Risk
United States – BUSPROG.FOFM.BRIG.17.03 – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC.FOFM.BRIG.17.10 – Capital structure
Financial leverage and EPS
48. Your firm has $500 million of investor-supplied capital, its return on investors’ capital (ROIC) is 15%, and it currently
has no debt in its capital structure (i.e., wd = 0). The CFO is contemplating a recapitalization where it would issue debt at
an after-tax cost of 10% and use the proceeds to buy back some of its common stock, such that the percentage of common
equity in the capital structure (wc) is 1 – wd. If the company goes ahead with the recapitalization, its operating income, the
size of the firm (i.e., total assets), total investor-supplied capital, and tax rate would remain unchanged. Which of the
following is most likely to occur as a result of the recapitalization?
The ROA would remain unchanged.
The return on investors’ capital would decline.
The return on investors’ capital would increase.
13-2 Business and Financial Risk
13-2 Business and Financial Risk
Multiple Choice
FOFM.BRIG.17.13.02 – Business and Financial Risk
United States – BUSPROG.FOFM.BRIG.17.03 – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC.FOFM.BRIG.17.10 – Capital structure
Financial leverage and EPS
Bloom’s: Analysis
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