18) J & B Corp. is investing in a major capital budgeting project that will require the expenditure
of $16 million. The money will be raised by issuing $2 million of bonds, $4 million of preferred
stock, and $10 million of new common stock. The company estimates is after-tax cost of debt to
be 7%, its cost of preferred stock to be 9%, the cost of retained earnings to be 14%, and the cost
of new common stock to be 17%. What is the weighted average cost of capital for this project?
A) 12.20%
B) 13.12%
C) 13.75%
D) 14.23%
19) Acme Conglomerate Corporation operates three divisions. One division involves significant
research and development, and thus has a high-risk cost of capital of 15%. The second division
operates in business segments related to Acme’s core business, and this division has a cost of
capital of 10% based upon its risk. Acme’s core business is the least risky segment, with a cost of
capital of 8%. The firm’s overall weighted average cost of capital of 11% has been used to
evaluate capital budgeting projects for all three divisions. This approach will
A) favor projects in the core business division because that division is the least risky.
B) favor projects in the related businesses division because the cost of capital for this division is
the closest to the firm’s weighted average cost of capital.
C) favor projects in the research and development division because the higher risk projects look
more favorable if a lower cost of capital is used to evaluate them.
D) not favor any division over the other because they all use the same company-wide weighted
average cost of capital.
20) Joe’s Discount Club currently has a weighted average cost of capital of 12%. Joe’s has been
growing rapidly over the past several years, selling common stock in each year to finance its
growth. However, due to difficult economic times this year, Joe’s decides to cut its dividend and
increase its retained earnings so that the common equity portion of its capital structure will
include only retained earnings and no new common stock will be sold. Joe’s weighted average
cost of capital this year should be
A) zero, since no new stock will be sold.
B) less than 12%.
C) equal to 12%.
D) greater than 12%.