Laramie Trucking's CEO is considering a change to the company's capital structure, which currently consists of 25% debt and 75% equity.
The CFO believes the firm should use more debt, but the CEO is reluctant to increase the debt ratio.
The risk-free rate, rRF, is 5.0%, the market risk premium, RPM, is 6.0%, and the firm's tax rate is 40%.
Currently, the cost of equity, rs, is 11.5% as determined by the CAPM. What would be the estimated cost of equity if the firm used 60% debt?
(Hint: You must first find the current beta and then the unlevered beta to solve the problem.)