In the face of disappointing earnings results and increasingly assertive institutional stockholders, Eastman Kodak was considering a major restructuring in 1993. As part of this restructuring, it was considering the sale of its health division, which earned $560 million in earnings before interest and taxes in 1993, on revenues of $5.285 billion. The expected growth in earnings was expected to moderate to 6% between 1994 and 1998, and to 4% after that. Capital expenditures in the health division amounted to $420 million in 1993, while depreciation was $350 million. Both are expected to grow 4% a year in the long term. Working capital requirements are negligible. The average beta of firms competing with Eastman Kodak”s health division is 1.15. While Eastman Kodak has a debt ratio (D/(D+E)) of 50%, the health division can sustain a debt ratio (D/(D+E)) of only 20%, which is similar to the average debt ratio of firms competing in the health sector. At this level of debt, the health division can expect to pay 7.5% on its debt, before taxes. (The tax rate is 40% and the treasury bond rate is 7%.)
a. Estimate the cost of capital for the division.
b. Estimate the value of the division.
c. Why might an acquirer pay more than this estimated value for the division?