Final answer:
The coefficient of variation for Salas Products, Inc. is 33.33%, and for Hot Boards, Inc. it is 25%, indicating Hot Boards, Inc. offers more stable returns in relation to its risk.
Step-by-step explanation:
The coefficient of variation (CV) for a stock provides a measure of the risk per unit of return. It is calculated as the standard deviation of the stock's returns divided by the mean of the stock's returns. To find the CV for Salas Products, Inc. and Hot Boards, Inc., we use the following formula: CV = Standard Deviation / Mean.
For Salas Products, Inc. with a mean of 15% and a standard deviation of 5%, the CV is calculated as follows:
CV = 5% / 15% = 0.3333 or 33.33%
Similarly, for Hot Boards, Inc. with a mean of 20% and a standard deviation of 5%, the CV is calculated as:
CV = 5% / 20% = 0.25 or 25%
Thus, despite both stocks having the same standard deviation, Hot Boards, Inc. has a lower CV, indicating it provides a relatively more stable return in relation to its risk compared to Salas Products, Inc.