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Mullet Technologies is considering whether or not to refund a$225 million, 12% coupon, 30-year bond issue that was sold 5 yearsago. It is amortizing $9 million of flotation costs on the 12%bonds over the issue's 30-year life. Mullet's investment banks haveindicated that the company could sell a new 25-year issue at aninterest rate of 10% in today's market. Neither they nor Mullet'smanagement anticipate that interest rates will fall below 10% anytime soon, but there is a chance that rates will increase. A callpremium of 14% would be required to retire the old bonds, andflotation costs on the new issue would amount to $5 million.Mullet's marginal federal-plus-state tax rate is 40%. The new bondswould be issued 1 month before the old bonds are called, with theproceeds being invested in short-term government securitiesreturning 5% annually during the interim period.a.Conduct a complete bond refunding analysis. What is the bondrefunding's NPV? Do not round intermediate calculations. Round youranswer to the nearest cent.b.What factors would influence Mullet's decision to refund nowrather than later?