Question 2: What Would Your Finance Manager Say? Ike Intern stated, “Our firm should always issue bonds when the market rate of interest is greater than the stated rate of interest. By doing so, we...

Question 2: What Would Your Finance Manager Say?

Ike Intern stated, “Our firm should always issue bonds when the market rate of interest is greater than the stated rate of interest. By doing so, we would make lower periodic cash payments for interest.” Irene Intern countered, “You’re wrong. We should issue bonds only when the market rate of interest is less than the stated rate of interest. If we did, we could sell bonds at a premium and receive more cash.” What would Ike and Irene’s Finance Manager say?

Question 3: Theory Vs. Practice

As discussed in the chapter, preferred stock offers an investor certain preferences over common stock in relation to dividends and liquidation value. In theory, these preferences should make preferred shares more attractive to potential investors than common stock. In practice, however, a majority of companies do not issue preferred stock, and most investors seem to favor putting their investment dollars into common shares. Discuss some of the reasons a company might not issue preferred stock, and why most investors choose common over preferred.