If Grounds Keeper has a required rate of return on its long-termdebt of 9% (before taxes) and a required rate of return on itscommon stock (of 16%?, {not positive this is correct}), a tax rateof 40%, what is its weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for2012? How could Grounds Keeper lower its WACC? (HINT: you will needto look at the balance sheet to determine the weight of debt toequity.

Grounds Keeper Consolidated Balance Sheets (Dollars inthousands) 2012 2011 Assets Current assets: Cash and cashequivalents 78,240 44,395 Receivables 399,891 340,062 Inventories844,737 736,677 Total current assets 1,322,868 1,121,133 Fixedassets, net 1,244,384 889,613 Other long-term assets 1,048,5371,187,141 Total assets 3,615,789 3,197,887 Liabilities andStockholders’ Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable 309,222319,465 Accruals 201,017 145,240 Notes payable 9,748 6,669 Totalcurrent liabilities 519987 471374 Long-term debt 834574 814298Total liabilities 1,354,561 1,285,672 Stockholders’ equity: Commonstock, $0.10 par value: 15,268 15,447 Additional paid-in capital1,464,560 1,499,616 Retained earnings 781400 397152 Totalstockholders’ equity 2,261,228 1,912,215 Total liabilities andstockholders’ equity 3,615,789 3,197,887   Grounds KeeperConsolidated Statements of Operations (Dollars in thousands exceptper share data) 2012 2011 Net sales 3,889,426 2,642,390 Cost ofsales 2,589,799 1,746,274 Gross profit 1,299,627 896,116 Sellingand operating expenses 481,493 348,696 General and administrativeexpenses 219,010 187,016 Operating income 599,124 360,404 Interestexpense 22,983 57,657 Income before income taxes 576,141 302,747Income tax expense 212,641 101,699 Net Income 363,500 201,048 Basicincome per share: Average shares outstanding 154,933,948146,214,860 Earnings per common share 2.35 1.38