Starset, Inc., has a target debt-equity ratio of 1.15. Its WACC is 8.6 percent, and the tax rate is 21 percent. Required:
a. If the company's cost of equity is 14 percent, what is its pretax cost of debt?
b. If instead you know that the aftertax cost of debt is 6.1 percent, what is the cost of equity?

a. 4.94%

b. 11.48%

Explanation:

Here in this question, we are interested in calculating the pretax cost of debt and cost of equity.

We proceed as follows;

a. From the question;

The debt equity ratio = 1.15

since Equity = 1 ; Then

Total debt + Total equity = 1 + 1.15 = 2.15

Mathematically ;

WACC = Cost of equity x Weight of equity + Pretax Cost of debt x Weight of debt x (1-Tax rate)

Where WACC = 8.6%

Cost of equity = 14%

Weight of equity = 1/(total debt + total equity) = 1/(1+1.15) = 1/2.15

Pretax cost of debt = ?

Weight of debt = debt equity ratio/total cost of debt = 1.15/2.15

Tax rate = 21% = 0.21

Substituting these values, we have;

8.6% = 14% x 1/2.15 + Pretax cost of debt x 1.15/2.15 x (1-21%)

8.6% = 14% x 1/2.15 + Pretax cost of debt x 1.15/2.15 x (1-21%)

Pretax cost debt = (8.6%-6.511628%)/(1.15/2.15 x (1-21%))

Pretax cost of debt = 4.94%

b. WACC = Cost of equity x Weight of equity + After tax Cost of debt x Weight of debt

8.6% = Cost of equity x 1/2.15 + 6.1% x 1.15/2.15

Cost of equity = (8.6%-3.26279%)/(1/2.15)

Cost of equity = 11.48%

um sure

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