26. Impact of credit ratings on cost of capital (LO11-3) Northwest Utility Company faces
increasing needs for capital. Fortunately, it has an Aa3 credit rating. The corporate tax rate
is 40 percent. Northwest’s treasurer is trying to determine the corporation’s current
weighted average cost of capital in order to assess the profitability of capital budgeting
projects.
Historically, the corporation’s earnings and dividends per share have increased about
8.2 percent annually and this should continue in the future. Northwest’s common stock is
selling at $64 per share, and the company will pay a $6.50 per share dividend (D1).
The company’s $96 preferred stock has been yielding 8 percent in the current market.
Flotation costs for the company have been estimated by its investment banker to be $6.00
for preferred stock.
The company’s optimal capital structure is 55 percent debt, 20 percent preferred stock,
and 25 percent common equity in the form of retained earnings. Refer to the following
table on bond issues for comparative yields on bonds of equal risk to Northwest:
Data on Bond Issues
Issue
Moody’s
Rating Price
Yield to
Maturity
Utilities:
Southwest Electric Power––7¼ 2023……………Aa2 $ 895.18 8.74%
Pacific Bell––7⅜ 2025………………………………..Aa3 891.25 8.73
Pennsylvania Power & Light––8½
2022……………………………………………………….A2 970.66 8.77
Industrials:
Johnson & Johnson––6¾ 2023…………………….Aaa 880.24 8.55%
Dillard’s Department Stores––71/8
2023……………………………………………………….A2 960.92 8.22
Marriott Corp.––10 2015…………………………….B2 1,035.10 9.77
Compute the answers to the following questions from the information given:
a. Cost of debt, Kd (use the accompanying table––relate to the utility bond credit rating
for yield)
b. Cost of preferred stock, Kp
c. Cost of common equity in the form of retained earnings, Ke
d. Weighted average cost of capital