ADM Labs is a publicly owned company with several issues of capital stock outstanding. Over the past decade, the company has consistently earned modest profits and has increased its common stock dividend annually by 5 or 10 cents per share. Recently the company introduced several new products that you believe will cause future sales and profits to increase dramatically. You also expect a gradual increase in long-term interest rates from their present level of about 11 percent to, perhaps, 12 percent to 121⁄4 percent. On the basis of these forecasts, explain whether you would expect to see the market prices of the following issues of ADM capital stock increase or decrease. Explain your reasoning in each answer.
a. 10 percent, $100 par value preferred stock (currently selling at $90 per share).
b. $5 par value common stock (currently paying an annual dividend of $2.50 and selling at
$40 per share).
c. 7 percent, $100 par value convertible preferred stock (currently selling at $125 per share
Answers
Explanation:
ADM Labs is a publicly owned company with several issues of capital stock outstanding. Over
the past decade, the company has consistently earned modest profits and has increased its com-
mon stock dividend annually by 5 or 10 cents per share. Recently the company introduced several
new products that you believe will cause future sales and profits to increase dramatically. You also
expect a gradual increase in long-term interest rates from their present level of about 11 percent to,
perhaps, 12 percent to 121⁄4 percent.
Instructions
On the basis of these forecasts, explain whether you would expect to see the market prices of the
following issues of ADM capital stock increase or decrease. Explain your reasoning in each answer.
a. 10 percent, $100 par value preferred stock (currently selling at $90 per share).
b. $5 par value common stock (currently paying an annual dividend of $2.50 and selling at $40
per share).
c. 7 percent, $100 par value convertible preferred stock (currently selling at $125 per
Answer:
It seems that ADM capital stock will increase