Question

Sapp Trucking's balance sheet shows a total of noncallable $45 million long-term debt with a coupon rate of 7.00% and a yield to maturity of 6.00%. This debt currently has a market value of $50 million. The balance sheet also shows that the company has 10 million shares of common stock, and the book value of the common equity (common stock plus retained earnings) is $65 million. The current stock price is $22.50 per share; stockholders' required return, rs, is 14.00%; and the firm's tax rate is 40%. The CFO thinks the WACC should be based on market-value weights, but the president thinks book weights are more appropriate. What is the difference between these two WACCs?

Answer 1

Answer:

The difference between two WACC is 1.2%.

Explanation:

As we know that

WACC = Ke * Ve / (Ve + Vd (1-Tax))    +   Kd * Vd*(1-tax) / (Ve + Vd*(1-Tax))

Using the Book Value Method:

WACC =             14% *$65 / ($65m + $45m (1-40%))

                    + 6% *$45m*(1-.4) / ($65m + $45m (1-40%))

WACC = 10%  + 1.8% = 11.8%

Using the market value method:

Market Value of Common Stock = Common Shares * Market value per share

Market Value of Common Stock = 10 million * $22.5 per share = $225m

WACC =             14% *$225 / ($225m + $50m (1-40%))

                    + 6% *$50m*(1-.4) / ($225m + $50m (1-40%))

WACC = 12.35%  + 0.7% = 13%

The difference between two WACC is 1.2%.