Answer: 12.72%
Step-by-step explanation:
The firm's weighted average cost of capital if the debt-equity ratio is 0.40 will be calculated thus:
= (1 /1+debt equity ratio)(cost of equity) + (Debt Equity ratio/1 + Debt Equity ratio)(Pre-tax cost)(1 - Tax rate)
=(1/1.40)(0.158) + (0.40/1.40)(0.077)(1 - 0.35)
= 12.72%
The firm's weighted average cost of capital is 12.72%