Should Pioneer use a single corporate cost of capital or multiple divisional hurdle rates in evaluating projects and allocating investment funds among divisions? If multiple rates are used, how should they be determine?

Abstract

Pioneer is an integrated oil company. Its operations include exploration and development, production, transportation, and marketing. The case focuses on Pioneer's cost of capital calculations and its choice between a single company-wide cost of capital or divisional costs of capital. Provides students the opportunity to learn how to calculate a company-wide weighted average cost of capital. An appropriate measure of the cost of equity capital is presented so that students are able to challenge their understanding of key concepts by critiquing the company's measure and suggesting their own.