Question - Kellogg Company manufactures cereal and other convenience food under its many well-known brands such as Kellogg's, Keebler, and Cheez-It. The company, with over $13.5 billion in annual sales worldwide, partially finances its operation through the issuance of debt. At the beginning of its 2015 fiscal year, it had $6.6 billion in total debt. At the end of fiscal year 2015, its total debt had increased to $6.7 billion. Its fiscal 2015 interest expense was $327 million, and its assumed statutory tax rate was 37%.
a. Compute the company's average pretax borrowing cost.
b. Assume that the book value of its debt equals its market value. Then, estimate the company's cost of debt capital.