Question

Debt-free, Inc., an unlevered firm, is planning to use debt in its capital structure. The firm currently has 5,000 shares outstanding trading at $60 per share. The firm plans to sell 150 6% annual-coupon, 10-year bonds at their face values of $1,000 each and use the proceeds to repurchase some of its shares. When the bonds mature, Debt-free, Inc. plans to reissue new bonds to pay off the principal and to “roll over” its debt this way indefinitely. Assume the firm’s cost of debt does not change and there are no costs of financial distress. Earnings before interest and tax are expected to remain at $28,000 per year forever and the firm has a dividend policy of paying out all of its earnings. Maureen currently owns 100 shares of Debtfree, Inc.

(a) (i) Calculate the total dollar annual dividend Maureen receives under the firm’s existing capital structure.

(ii) If the market learns of the capital restructuring before the exercise is completed, how many shares are repurchased under the planned capital restructuring?

(iii) Calculate total dollar annual dividend Maureen receives under the firm’s planned capital structure.

(iv) Debt-free, Inc. completes its planned capital restructuring but Maureen prefers the annual dividend payout of the unlevered firm. What is Maureen’s cash flow from homemade leverage by referencing the levered firm’s capital structure and assuming that she can borrow and lend at the same rate as the firm?   

(v) Is capital structure irrelevant? Explain.

(b) Redo part (a) assuming a one-tier corporate tax rate of 20% applies. Ignore personal income taxes.