CHAPTER 12 Leverage and Capital Structure 553
LG3 LG4 LG5
LG6
12 – 23 Integrative—Optimal capital structure The board of directors of Morales Pub-
lishing, Inc., has commissioned a capital structure study. The company has total
assets of $40,000,000. It has earnings before interest and taxes of $8,000,000
and is taxed at 40%.
a. Create a spreadsheet like the one in Table 12.10 showing values of debt and
equity as well as the total number of shares, assuming a book value of $25
per share.
b. Given the before-tax cost of debt at various levels of indebtedness, calculate
the yearly interest expenses.
c. Using EBIT of $8,000,000, a 40% tax rate, and the information developed in
partsaandb,calculate the most likely earnings per share for the firm at vari-
ous levels of indebtedness. Mark the level of indebtedness that maximizes EPS.
Interest No. of
% Debt EBIT expense EBT Taxes Net income shares EPS
0% $8,000,000
10 8,000,000
20 8,000,000
30 8,000,000
40 8,000,000
50 8,000,000
60 8,000,000
Before-tax
% Debt $ Total debt cost of debt, kd $ Interest expense
0% $ 0.0% $
(^10) 7.5
(^20) 8.0
(^30) 9.0
(^40) 11.0
(^50) 12.5
(^60) 15.5
% Debt Total assets $ Debt $ Equity No. of shares @ $25
0% $40,000,000 $ $
10 40,000,000
20 40,000,000
30 40,000,000
40 40,000,000
50 40,000,000
60 40,000,000