The correct answer is: A. Cost of Equity Shares
The cost of equity shares is the return that investors expect to earn on their investment in a company’s equity shares. This return is usually expressed as a percentage, and it is used to calculate the company’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC).
The cost of equity shares is affected by a number of factors, including the company’s risk profile, the level of interest rates, and the tax rate. The tax rate is a particularly important factor, as it affects the amount of income that investors are able to keep from their investment.
When calculating the cost of equity shares, it is important to take into account the tax rate. This is because the tax rate reduces the amount of income that investors are able to keep from their investment, and this in turn reduces the return that they expect to earn.
The cost of equity shares is calculated using the following formula:
Cost of equity shares = Risk-free rate + Equity risk premium * (1 – Tax rate)
The risk-free rate is the rate of return that investors can earn on a risk-free investment, such as a government bond. The equity risk premium is the additional return that investors expect to earn on an investment in equity shares, as opposed to a risk-free investment. The tax rate is the rate of tax that investors are liable to pay on their investment income.
For example, if the risk-free rate is 5%, the equity risk premium is 6%, and the tax rate is 20%, then the cost of equity shares is:
Cost of equity shares = 5% + 6% * (1 – 20%) = 7.2%
The cost of equity shares is an important factor in determining the company’s WACC. The WACC is used to calculate the company’s required rate of return on investment, and this in turn is used to make investment decisions.
The cost of equity shares is also an important factor in determining the company’s share price. The share price is determined by the present value of the company’s future cash flows, and the cost of equity shares is one of the key inputs into this calculation.
The cost of equity shares is a complex and important concept. It is important to understand the factors that affect the cost of equity shares, and to calculate the cost of equity shares accurately. This will allow you to make informed investment decisions, and to value companies accurately.