that the investors perception about risk of leverage will vary at different levels of leverage.

However the existence of an optimum capital structure can be justified and supported on two counts: tax deductibility of interest payments on debt capital and other market imperfections Modigliani and Millers Proposition Modigliani-Miller theorem (of Franco Modigliani, Merton Miller) forms the basis for modern thinking on capital structure. The basic theorem states that, in the absence of taxes, bankruptcy costs, and asymmetric information, and in an efficient market, the value of a firm is unaffected by how that firm is financed. It does not matter if the firms capital is raised by issuing stock or selling debt. It does not matter what the firms dividend policy is. The theorem is made up of two propositions which can also be extended to a situation with taxes. Propositions Modigliani-Miller theorem (1958) (without taxes) Consider two firms which are identical except for their financial structures. The first (Firm U) is unleveraged: that is, it is financed by equity only. The other (Firm L) is leveraged: it is financed partly by equity, and partly by debt. The Modigliani-Miller theorem states that the value the two firms is the same Proposition I

where V U is the value of an unlevered firm = price of buying all the firms equity, and V L is the value of a levered firm = price of buying all the firms equity, plus all its debt To see why this should be true, suppose a capitalist is considering buy one of the two firms U or L. Instead of purchasing the shares of the leveraged firm L, he could purchase the shares of firm U and borrow the same amount of money B that firm L does. The eventual returns to either of these investments would be the same. Therefore the price of L must be the same as the price of U minus the money borrowed B, which is the value of Ls debt This discussion also clarifies the role of some of the theorems

142