Reference no: EM131898002

The Robert Corp has $26 million of bonds outstanding that were issued at a coupon rate of 10.850 percent seven years ago. Interest rates have fallen to 10.150 percent. Mr. Brooks, the Vice-President of Finance, does not expect rates to fall any further. The bonds have 17 years left to maturity, and Mr. Brooks would like to refund the bonds with a new issue of equal amount also having 17 years to maturity. The Robinson Corporation has a tax rate of 30 percent. The underwriting cost on the old issue was 2.60 percent of the total bond value. The underwriting cost on the new issue will be 1.80 percent of the total bond value. The original bond indenture contained a five-year protection against a call, with a call premium of 7 percent starting in the sixth year and scheduled to decline by one-half percent each year thereafter. (Consider the bond to be seven years old for purposes of computing the premium.) Assume the discount rate is equal to the aftertax cost of new debt rounded up to the nearest whole percent.

a. Compute the discount rate Do not round intermediate calculations and round your answer to 2 decimal places.)

b. Calculate the present value of total outflows. Do not round intermediate calculations and round your answer to 2 decimal places.)

c. Calculate the present value of total inflows. Do not round intermediate calculations and round your answer to 2 decimal places.)

d. Calculate the net present value. (Negative amount should be indicated by a minus sign. Do not round intermediate calculations and round your answer to 2 decimal places.)