Declining Products Corporation produces goods that are very mature in their product life cycles. Declining Products is expected to pay a dividend in year 1 of $1.33, a dividend of $1.23 in year 2, and a dividend of $1.18 in year 3. After year 3, dividends are expected to decline at a rate of 2% per year. An appropriate required rate of return for the stock is 8%. What should the stock be worth

P0 = $18.5225 rounded off to $18.52

Explanation:

Using the dividend discount model, we can calculate the price of the stock today. The DDM values the stock based on the present value of the expected future dividends from the stock. The formula to calculate the price of the stock is,

P0 = D1 / (1+r) + D2 / (1+r)^2  +  ...  +  Dn / (1+r)^n  +  [Dn * (1+g) / (r - g)] / (1+r)^n

Where,

As the dividends will decline after 3 at a constant rate, the g will be -2%.

P0 = 1.33 / (1+0.08)  +  1.23 / (1+0.08)^2  +  1.18 / (1+0.08)^3  +  

[1.18 * (1-0.02) / (0.08 - 0.02)] / (1+0.08)^3

P0 = $18.5225 rounded off to $18.52

there was no passage listed but using the process of elimination i'd say it was d. the high economy would do the opposite. i don't see how low prices would affect it. high unemployment is possible but i feel d is the better answer.