Question

Bigelow has a levered cost of equity of 14.29% and a pretax cost of debt of 7.23%. The required return on the assets is 11%. What is the firm's debt-equity ratio based on MM Proposition II with no taxes?

Answer 1

0.873

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that

Cost of equity, RS = 14.29% = 0.1429

Required return on assets = 11% = 0.11

Cost of debt = 7.23% = 0.0723

Then we can calculate the firm's debt equity ratio by using the relation

0.1429 = 0.11 + B/S(0.11 - 0.0723)

0.1429 = 0.11 + B/S(0.0377)

B/S(0.0377) = 0.1429 - 0.11

B/S(0.0377) = 0.0329

B/S = 0.0329 / 0.0377

B/S = 0.873

Therefore, the debt equity ratio is 0.873