Corporate Finance: The Core (4th Edition) (Berk, DeMarzo & Harford, The Corporate Finance Series)
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780134202648
Author: Jonathan Berk, Peter DeMarzo
Publisher: PEARSON
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Chapter 16, Problem 26P
Ralston Enterprises has assets that will have a market value in one year as follows:
That is, there is a 1% chance the assets will be worth $70 million, a 6% chance the assets will be worth $80 million, and so on. Suppose the CEO is contemplating a decision that will benefit her personally but will reduce the value of the firm's assets by $10 million. The CEO is likely to proceed with this decision unless it substantially increases the firm's risk of bankruptcy.
- a. If Ralston has debt due of $75 million in one year, the CEO’s decision will increase the probability of bankruptcy by what percentage?
- b. What level of debt provides the CEO with the biggest incentive not to proceed with the decision?
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Fountain Corporation’s economists estimate that a good business environment and a bad business environment are equally likely for the coming year. The managers of the company must choose between two mutually exclusive projects. Assume that the project the company chooses will be the firm’s only activity and that the firm will close one year from today. The company is obligated to make a $4,100 payment to bondholders at the end of the year. The projects have the same systematic risk but different volatilities. Consider the following information pertaining to the two projects:
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.50
4,600
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a.
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b.
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Fountain Corporation’s economists estimate that a good business environment and a bad business environment are equally likely for the coming year. The managers of the company must choose between two mutually exclusive projects. Assume that the project the company chooses will be the firm’s only activity and that the firm will close one year from today. The company is obligated to make a $4,200 payment to bondholders at the end of the year. The projects have the same systematic risk but different volatilities. Consider the following information pertaining to the two projects:
Economy
Probability
Low-Volatility Project Payoff
High-Volatility Project Payoff
Bad
.50
$ 4,200
$ 3,400
Good
.50
4,600
4,900
a.
What is the expected value of the company if the low-volatility project is undertaken? What if the high-volatility project is undertaken? (Do not round intermediate calculations.)
b.
What is the expected value of the company’s equity if the low-volatility…
Suppose the CEO of a $750 million all-equity
firm personally owns $15 million in company
stock. Assume that the risk-neutral CEO
makes investment decisions based strictly on
the change in value (or expected change in
value for risky investments) of her personal
holdings, plus private benefits (if any) she gets
from the investment.
a) Suppose the CEO is considering a risky
investment that will generate a gain with a
present value of $100 million with 50%
probability, but a loss of $150 million (present
value) with 50% probability. Will she invest in
the risky project?
b) Now, suppose that the firm recapitalizes by
borrowing $700 million and pays a special
dividend of $700 million, and suppose that
the CEO reinvests her $14 million dividend
back into the recapitalized firm. (In answering
this question, ignore any change in the overall
value of the firm resulting from the
recapitalization.) Given the same assumptions
as in (i) above, will she invest in the risky
project?
Chapter 16 Solutions
Corporate Finance: The Core (4th Edition) (Berk, DeMarzo & Harford, The Corporate Finance Series)
Ch. 16.1 - Prob. 1CCCh. 16.1 - Does the risk of default reduce the value of the...Ch. 16.2 - If a firm files for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of...Ch. 16.2 - Why are the losses of debt holders whose claims...Ch. 16.3 - Prob. 1CCCh. 16.3 - True or False: If bankruptcy costs are only...Ch. 16.4 - Prob. 1CCCh. 16.4 - According to the trade-off theory, all else being...Ch. 16.5 - Prob. 1CCCh. 16.5 - Why would debt holders desire covenants that...
Ch. 16.6 - Prob. 1CCCh. 16.6 - Prob. 2CCCh. 16.7 - Coca-Cola Enterprises is almost 50% debt financed...Ch. 16.7 - Why would a firm with excessive leverage not...Ch. 16.7 - Describe how management entrenchment can affect...Ch. 16.8 - How does asymmetric information explain the...Ch. 16.8 - Prob. 2CCCh. 16.9 - Prob. 1CCCh. 16.9 - Prob. 2CCCh. 16 - Gladstone Corporation is about to launch a new...Ch. 16 - Baruk Industries has no cash and a debt obligation...Ch. 16 - When a firm defaults on its debt, debt holders...Ch. 16 - Prob. 4PCh. 16 - Prob. 5PCh. 16 - Suppose Tefco Corp. has a value of 100 million if...Ch. 16 - You have received two job offers. Firm A offers to...Ch. 16 - As in Problem 1, Gladstone Corporation is about to...Ch. 16 - Kohwe Corporation plans to issue equity to raise...Ch. 16 - Prob. 10PCh. 16 - Prob. 11PCh. 16 - Hawar International is a shipping firm with a...Ch. 16 - Your firm is considering issuing one-year debt,...Ch. 16 - Marpor Industries has no debt and expects to...Ch. 16 - Real estate purchases are often financed with at...Ch. 16 - On May 14, 2008, General Motors paid a dividend of...Ch. 16 - Prob. 17PCh. 16 - Consider a firm whose only asset is a plot of...Ch. 16 - Prob. 19PCh. 16 - Prob. 20PCh. 16 - Prob. 21PCh. 16 - Consider the setting of Problem 21 , and suppose...Ch. 16 - Consider the setting of Problems 21 and 22, and...Ch. 16 - You own your own firm, and you want to raise 30...Ch. 16 - Empire Industries forecasts net income this coming...Ch. 16 - Ralston Enterprises has assets that will have a...Ch. 16 - Prob. 27PCh. 16 - If it is managed efficiently, Remel Inc. will have...Ch. 16 - Which of the following industries have low optimal...Ch. 16 - According to the managerial entrenchment theory,...Ch. 16 - Info Systems Technology (IST) manufactures...Ch. 16 - Prob. 32PCh. 16 - Prob. 33P
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