CIMA F3 Exam With Confidence Using Practice Dumps

We’re looking for long-term changes that would improve a company’s credit rating (i.e. reduce perceived credit risk and increase capacity to service debt):

A. Increase in interest cover (EBIT / interest) → higher coverage, safer for lenders → positive.

B. Decrease in (Net debt)/(EBITDA) → lower leverage relative to earnings → positive.

C. Increase in free cash flow from operations → more internally generated cash to pay interest and repay debt → positive.

D. Decrease in (Book debt)/(Book equity) is also a good sign in reality, but the question restricts us to three; exam focus is usually on coverage and cash flow-based ratios, so A, B and C are the best three.

E. Decrease in dividend cover (earnings / dividend) means paying a larger proportion of earnings out as dividends → less retained profit and weaker protection for creditors → negative for credit rating.

So the three most likely to improve the rating: A, B, C.

A – Shareholders who want cash can sell into the repurchase.

B – Fewer shares in issue → higher EPS for remaining shareholders.

C – Reduces surplus cash that might attract predators.

Given current structure: D:E = 25:75, tax = 25%, asset beta ≈ 1.01.

Re-gear beta for new structure D:E = 35:65

βe′=βa[1+(1−T)DE]=1.01[1+0.75×3565]≈1.01×1.404≈1.42\beta_e' = \beta_a \big[1 + (1 - T)\frac{D}{E}\big] = 1.01 \big[1 + 0.75 \times \frac{35}{65}\big] \approx 1.01 \times 1.404 \approx 1.42βe′​=βa​[1+(1−T)ED​]=1.01[1+0.75×6535​]≈1.01×1.404≈1.42

Use CAPM with rf=4%r_f = 4\%rf​=4%, rm=12%r_m = 12\%rm​=12%:

ke′=rf+βe′(rm−rf)=4%+1.42×8%≈4%+11.4%≈15.4%k_e' = r_f + \beta_e'(r_m - r_f) = 4\% + 1.42 \times 8\% \approx 4\% + 11.4\% \approx 15.4\%ke′​=rf​+βe′​(rm​−rf​)=4%+1.42×8%≈4%+11.4%≈15.4%

Closest option: 15.36% → B.