Your financial advisor has provided information on three investments. The first is a preferred stock, redeemed in 15 years at $25 per share, currently selling at $26.57 and has a current annual dividend yield of 7.527%. The second is a common stock trading at $125.32 per share, but pays no dividend now nor is expected to pay one within your 15-year investment horizon. The share price is expected to grow at 8% for 5 years and 4% for ten years, when you are determined to sell the shares. The third investment is a new bond which you can buy at par with a coupon of 7.25%. Assume there are no taxes (!) and that you are risk-neutral. If your discount rate is 3.5%, which has the highest return?
1. First investment
2. Second investment
3. Third investment
4. Any of them; they have equal returns.