Midland Corporation has a net income of \(19 million and 4 million shares outstanding. Its common stock is currently selling for \)48 per share. Midland plans to sell common stock to set up a major new production facility with a net cost of \(21,120,000. The production facility will not produce a profit for one year, and then it is expected to earn a 13 percent return on the investment. Stanley Morgan and Co., an investment banking firm, plans to sell the issue to the public for \)44 per share with a spread of 4 percent.
e. Are the shareholders better off because of the sale of stock and the resultant investment? What other financing strategy could the company have tried to increase earnings per share?