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1.
Earnings before bond interest and income tax 10,000,000$ 10,000,000$ 10,000,000$
Bond interest – – 3,600,000
interest in the company. Also, if earnings before interest and income tax is $10,000,000, this plan offers
the lowest EPS ($1.50) on common stock.
The principal advantage of Plan 3 is that little additional investment would need to be made by common
shareholders for them to retain their current interest in the company. Also, it offers the largest EPS
($2.84) if earnings before interest and income tax is $10,000,000. Its principal disadvantage is that the
bonds carry a fixed annual interest charge and require the payment of principal. It also requires a
dividend payment to preferred stockholders before a common dividend
can be paid. Finally, Plan 3 provides the lowest EPS ($0.44) if earnings before interest and income
tax is $6,000,000.
Plan 2 provides a middle ground in terms of the advantages and disadvantages described in the
preceding paragraphs for Plans 1 and 3.