Financing EBIT problem

Question

Rusk Inc needs $50 million in new capital that it might obtain by selling bonds at par with coupon of 12% or by selling stock at $40 (net) per share. The current capital structure of Rusk consists of $300 million (face value) of 10% coupon bonds selling at 90 and 10 million shares of stock selling at $43 apiece. Subsequent to the new financing, the EBIT of Rusk is expected to be $70 million with standard deviation of $30 million. Which technique of financing do you suggest? Determine the probability that you are correct?

Answer 1

From the given details,

When the issue of shares is involved, to raise $50 million at $40/share, the outstanding shares will increase by 1.25 million.

As a result, the earnings available to common shareholders are higher under common stock alternative than they are under the debt alternative. Hence the financing method must be to raise $50 million by selling shares at $40 per share.

In order to determine the probability that this decision is right, we need the indifference point between the two alternatives.

((EBIT - $36)(1 – 0.4) – 0)/10 = ((EBIT - $30)(1 – 0.4) – 0)/11.25
11.25*(0.6 EBIT – 21.6) = 10*(0.6 EBIT – 18)
6.75 EBIT – 243 = 6 EBIT – 180
0.75 EBIT = 63
EBIT = $84 million

Hence the probability that the above decision is right is

Z = ($84 – 70)/30 = 0.467
P(z) = 67.96%

Thus the equity financing must be recommended and the probability that this is right is 67.96%.