number of outstanding shares. Assume next dividend is due in one year. a. What growth rate of earnings would you forecast for DFB? b. If DFB's equity cost of capital is 12.6%, what price would you estimate for DFB stock today? many new projects. If DFB maintains this higher payout rate in the future, what stock price would you estimate for the firm now? Should DFB raise its dividend? a. What growth rate of earnings would you forecast for DFB? DFB's growth rate of earnings is %. (Round to two decimal places.) b. If DFB's equity cost of capital is 12.6%, what price would you estimate for DFB stock today? If DFB's equity cost of capital is 12.6%, then DFB's stock price will be $. (Round to the nearest cent.) many new projects. If DFB maintains this higher payout rate in the future, what stock price would you estimate for the firm now? If DFB paid a dividend of $3.86 per share next year and retained only $1.18 per share in earnings, then DFB's stock price would be $ (Round to the nearest cent.) Should DFB raise its dividend? (Select the best choice below.) A. No, DFB should not raise dividends because companies should always reinvest as much as possible. B. Yes, DFB should raise dividends because, according to the dividend-discount model, doing so will always improve the share price. C. No, DFB should not raise dividends because the projects are positive NPV. D. Yes, DFB should raise dividends because the return on new investments is lower than the cost of capital