Here is the condensed 2008 balance sheet for Skye Computer Company (in thousands of dollars):

2008

Current assets $ 2,000

Net fixed assets 3,000

Total assets $ 5,000

Current liabilities $ 900

Long-term debt 1,200

Preferred stock 250

Common stock 1,300

Retained earnings 1,350

Total common equity $2,650

Total liabilities and equity $5,000

Skye’s earnings per share last year were $3.20, the common stock sells for $55.00, last year’s dividend was $2.10, and a flotation cost of 10% would be required to sell new common stock. Security analysts are projecting that the common dividend will grow at a rate of 9% per year. Skye’s preferred stock pays a dividend of $3.30 per share, and new preferred could be sold at a price to net the company $30.00 per share. The firm can issue long-term debt at an interest rate (or before-tax cost) of 10%, and its marginal tax rate is 35%. The market risk premium is 5%, the risk-free rate is 6%, and Skye’s beta is 1.516. In its cost of capital calculations, the company considers only long-term capital; hence, it disregards current liabilities.

a. Calculate the cost of each capital component, that is, the after-tax cost of debt, the cost of preferred stock, the cost of equity from retained earnings, and the cost of newly issued common stock. Use the DCF method to find the cost of common equity.

b. Now calculate the cost of common equity from retained earnings using the CAPM method.

c. What is the cost of new common stock based on the CAPM?

d. If Skye continues to use the same capital structure, what is the firm’s WACC assuming that (1) it uses only retained earnings for equity? (2) If it expands so rapidly that it must issue new common stock?