During the last few years, Jana Industries has been too constrained by the high cost of capital to make many capital investments. Recently, though, capital costs have been declining, and the company has decided to look seriously at a major expansion program proposed by the marketing department. Assume that you are an assistant to Leigh Jones, the financial vice president. Your first task is to estimate Jana’s cost of capital. Jones has provided you with the following data, which she believes may be relevant to your task:
• The firm’s tax rate is 40%.
• The current price of Jana’s 12% coupon, semiannual payment, noncallable bonds with 15 years remaining to maturity is $1,153.72. Jana does not use short-term interest-bearing debt on a permanent basis. New bonds would be privately placed with no flotation cost.
• The current price of the firm’s 10%, $100 par value, quarterly dividend, perpetual preferred stock is $116.95. Jana would incur flotation costs equal to 5% of the proceeds on a new issue.
• Jana’s common stock is currently selling at $50 per share. Its last dividend D0 was $3.12, and dividends are expected to grow at a constant rate of 5.8% in the foreseeable future. Jana’s beta is 1.2, the yield on T-bonds is 5.6%, and the market risk premium is estimated to be 6%. For the own-bond-yield-plus-judgmental-risk-premium approach, the firm uses a 3.2% risk premium.
• Jana’s target capital structure is 30% long-term debt, 10% preferred stock, and 60% common equity.
1. What is your final estimate for the cost of equity, rs?
2. What is Jana’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC)?
3. What factors influence a company’s WACC?