Mullineaux Corporation has a target capital structure of 50 percent common stock, 5 percent preferred stock, and 45 percent debt. Its cost of equity is 18 percent, the cost of preferred stock is 6.5 percent, and the cost of debt is 8 percent. The relevant tax rate is 35 percent.

a. What is Mullineaux’s WACC?

b. The company president has approached you about Mullineaux’s capital structure. He wants to know why the company doesn’t use more preferred stock financing, since it costs less than debt. What would you tell the president?