1. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
a. A firm's business risk is determined solely by the financial characteristics of its industry.
b. The factors that affect a firm's business risk include industry characteristics and economic conditions, both of which are generally beyond the firm's control.
c. One of the benefits to a firm of being at or near its target capital structure is that this generally minimizes the risk of bankruptcy.
d. A firm's financial risk can be minimized by diversification.
e. The amount of debt in its capital structure can under no circumstances affect a company's EBIT and business risk.
2. Other things held constant, which of the following events would be most likely to encourage a firm to increase the amount of debt in its capital structure?
a. Its sales are projected to become less stable in the future.
b. The bankruptcy laws are changed in a way that would make bankruptcy more costly to the firm and its stockholders.
c. Management believes that the firm's stock is currently overvalued.
d. The firm decides to automate its factory with specialized equipment and thus increase its use of operating leverage.
e. The corporate income tax rate is increased.