Look in a recent issue of The Wall Street Journal at "NYSE-Composite Transactions."a. What is the latest price of IBM stock? b. What are the annual dividend payment and the dividend yield on IBM stock? c. What would the yield be if IBM changed its yearly dividend to $1.50? d. What is the P/E on IBM stock? e. Use the P/E to calculate IBM’s earnings per share. f. Is IBM’s P/E higher or lower than that of Exxon Mobil? g. What are the possible reasons for the difference in P/E?

G) The possible reasons for the difference in P/E is due to the difference in EPS earned by each company and also the difference in stock price of each company's stock

Explanation:

Referring the the recent issue of the wall street Journal at NYSE-Composite Transactions

A) The Latest price of IBM stock = $191.08

B) What are the annual dividend payment and the dividend yield on IBM stock

The annual dividend = $0.85 per share

dividend yield = 1.78%

C) calculate what the yield will become if yearly dividend is moved up to $1.50

first we find the price per share

price per share = annual dividend per share / current dividend yield

= 0.85 / 1.78% = 0.85 / 0.0178 = $47.75

since we now have the price per share value we can now calculate the dividend yield

dividend yield = annual dividend / price per share

= $1.50 / $47.75 = 0.0314

= 3.14 %

D) Calculate the P/E on IBM stock

= 13.74 times as it was traded for the last 12 months

E) calculate IBM's earnings per share using P/E

earnings per share = Price / P/E

Latest price of IBM stock = $191.08

P/E = 13.74

earnings per share = 191.08 / 13.74 = $13.91

F) IBM's P/E at 13.74 is higher than Exxon Mobil P/E at 11.29

G) The possible reasons for the difference in P/E is due to the difference in EPS earned by each company and also the difference in stock price of each company's stock