Live in Colour! Inc

Live in Colour! Inc. is a steadily growing regional company-owned chain of home decorating stores with two million shares outstanding. Its share price at the start of the year was $31.50 with a P/E of 10. The founder and president, an award winning designer, retained 15% of the shares. The rest traded sporadically on the TSX and were held principally in lots of less than 500 by small investors. Peri Paint and Wallpaper is a US-based chain looking for entry into Canada and at Live in Colour!'s mall locations. It purchased 20% of Live In Colour! shares causing a flurry on the TSX and a price gain to $42.25 a share. Live in Colour!'s president purchased another 100,000 shares and gained assurances from shareholders who own another 15% of shares that they would not sell or vote out the current Board of Directors who are opposed to the takeover. Assuming analysts are right and they believe that the P/E ratio will go to 25 before ownership of the company is decided, what would the maximum cash outlay that a white squire would have to be prepared to pay?

A) $47.25 million
B) $78.75 million
C) $13.52 million
D) $102.48 million
E) $23.60 million