JJG Co is planning to raise $15 million of new finance for a major expansion of existing b

JJG Co is planning to raise $15 million of new finance for a major expansion of existing business and is considering a rights issue, a placing or an issue of bonds. The corporate objectives of JJG Co, as stated in its Annual Report, are to maximise the wealth of its shareholders and to achieve continuous growth in earnings per share. Recent financial information on JJG Co is as follows:

Required:

(a) Evaluate the financial performance of JJG Co, and analyse and discuss the extent to which the company has achieved its stated corporate objectives of:

(i) maximising the wealth of its shareholders;

(ii) achieving continuous growth in earnings per share.

Note: up to 7 marks are available for financial analysis.(12 marks)

(b) If the new finance is raised via a rights issue at $7·50 per share and the major expansion of business has

not yet begun, calculate and comment on the effect of the rights issue on:

(i) the share price of JJG Co;

(ii) the earnings per share of the company; and

(iii) the debt/equity ratio. (6 marks)

(c) Analyse and discuss the relative merits of a rights issue, a placing and an issue of bonds as ways of raising the finance for the expansion. (7 marks)