Interest versus dividend expense Michaels Corporation expects earnings before interest and taxes to be $ 50 comma 000 for the current period. Assuming a flat ordinary tax rate of 21 %, compute the firm's earnings after taxes and earnings available for common stockholders (earnings after taxes and preferred stock dividends, if any) under the following conditions: a. The firm pays $ 12 comma 000 in interest. b. The firm pays $ 12 comma 000 in preferred stock dividends.

Here we have two cases and in one of these we are paying interest on a normal loan which is tax deductible and in the other case we are paying interest on a preference share which is not Tax allowable expense. So in the nutshell, the only difference will be tax amount computed in both cases for calculating Earnings available for ordinary shareholders.

Case 1. Interest paid on normal loan

Earning After tax = (Earnings before Interest & Tax - Interest) - Tax

Earning After tax = ($50,000 - 12000) - 21%

Earning After tax = $38000 - 21%*$38000

Earning After tax =  $30020

The amount available for the ordinary shareholders is $300,20

Case 2. Interest on preference shares

As the interest paid on preference share is not tax deductible so the tax will be calculated as 21% of the amount $50,000. So

Earning After tax = Earnings before Interest & Tax - Interest - Tax

Earning After tax = $50,000 - 12000 - (21%*$50,000)

Earnings After Tax = $38,000 - $10,500 = $27,500

So the amount available for the ordinary shareholders is $27,500.

answer a is correct answer

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