Dividend Relevance Theory (Walter’s Model)
Prof. James Walter says that the choice of a dividend payout ratio affects the value of a firm. He studied the importance of the relationship between the cost of capital (k), internal rate of return (R) to find out the optimum dividend policy that maximizes the shareholders’ wealth.
The assumptions of which Walter’s model is based is highlighted in our Dividend Relevance assignment help in AUS as follows:
- The firm finances the entire investments through retaining earnings only.
- The cost of capital (k) and the internal rate of return (R) of a form stays constant.
- The earnings of a firm are either reinvested or distributed as dividends internally.
- The dividends and the earnings of a firm shall never change
- The firm has an infinite or a long life
The formula to find out the price/share is:
P is the market price/share
E is earnings per share
D is the dividend per share
K is the cost of capital
R is the internal rate of return
As per this theory, the dividend policy depends on the relationship between the cost of capital and the internal rate of return of the firm. IF R is greater than K, a firm must retain all the earnings, however, if R is lesser than the cost of capital, it should distribute its earnings to the shareholders
The theory may be summarized below as follows:
- Growth firms mean R>K. They have huge investment opportunities
- Normal Firms R=K. These firms earn a return that is equal to the shareholders. The payout ratios are optimum.
- Declining firms means R
Gordon’s Model
Another dividend relevance theory is Gordon’s model. According to this model, a dividend policy affects the value of a firm based on the assumptions that are stated in our online help with assignment on Dividend Relevance as follows:
- The firm is an all-equity firm and no debt
- The internal rate of return or R remains constant
- There is no external financing and the investments are financed by retained earnings exclusively.
- The cost of capital stays fixed irrespective of the change in the risk of a firm
- The firm gets its income in perpetuity
- The retention ratio is constant and the growth rate is constant too
- Corporate taxes do not exist
- K is greater than g
P is the price per share
E is earnings per share
K is the cost of capital
b is retention ratio
G is the growth rate
(1-b) is the payout ratio