Question

Preferred stock is a hybrid security because it has some characteristics typical of debt and others typical of equity. The following table lists various characteristics of preferred stock. Determine which of these characteristics is consistent with debt and which is consistent with equity.

Characteristics Debt Equity
Dividends are fixed.
Usually has no specified maturity date

At the present time, Tamin Co. does not have any preferred stock outstanding but is looking to include preferred stock un its capital structure in the future. Tamin has found some institutional investors that are willing to purchase its preferred stock issue provided that it pays a perpetual dividend of $13 per share. If the investors pay $130.45 per share, Taemin's cost of preferred stock will _____.

a. 11.5%
b. 10.0%
c. 9.5%
d. 9.0%

Answer 1

Dividends are fixed. ⇒ Consistent with Debt

Fixed dividends makes preferred shares consistent with debt because debt repayments are made in equal payments as well.

Usually has no specified maturity date ⇒ Consistent with Equity.

Equity has no set maturity date unlike debt and preferred stock has no maturity date either so is much like equity in this regard.

Cost of preferred stock.

Preferred stock is like a perpetuity. The cost of preferred stock is therefore:

= Constant dividend / Price of stock

= 13 / 130.45

= 9.97%

= 10%