The document defines the cost of capital as the minimum required rate of return on invested funds. It discusses how the cost of capital is helpful for capital budgeting and structure decisions. It then outlines the different components of cost of capital - cost of debt, preferred shares, equity shares, and retained earnings. Various formulas are provided for calculating the costs of redeemable and irredeemable debt, preferred shares, and equity shares. The cost of retained earnings is said to equal the cost of equity shares.