Case 20: Aurora Textile Company GROUP QUESTIONS Learning Objectives: 1. The basics of incremental-cash-flow analysis: identifying the cash flows relevant to a capital-investment decision 2. The construction of a side-by-side discounted-cash-flow analysis for a replacement decision 3. How to adapt the NPV decision rule to a troubled industry 4. The recognition that a reduced investment horizon is a significant consequence of financial distress 5. The importance of sensitivity analysis to a capital-investment decision Case Questions 1. How has Aurora Textile performed over the past four years? Be prepared to provide financial ratios that present a clear picture of Aurora’s financial condition. From 1999 through 2002, …show more content…
The main difference between investing in the Zinser machine and maintaining the status quo is an initial investment of $8.25 million and the receipt of $608,000 in after-tax sales proceeds from selling the existing machine. Additionally, there is an initial $50,000 ($32,000 after-tax) cost for training employees, but this cost is only incurred once (see exhibit 3). In their first year using the Zinser machine there will be a 5% decrease in sales volume, but selling price will increase 10%. Material costs per pound will be the same as the status quo, but conversion costs will decrease to $0.4077 per pound per year due to lower power, maintenance and return costs. Days of inventory held will also drop to about 20 days. All other assumptions are the same as the status quo. In this scenario, the NPV of the Hunter Plant is about $15.87million if Aurora invests in the new Zisner machine (see exhibit 3). Incremental Cash Flows - The Net Effect of the New Project When looking at the incremental cash flows for the new project, replacing the old machine with the Zinser machine is a good investment. The NPV of the investment is $6.33 million and the IRR is 28%, much higher than the 10% hurdle rate (see exhibit 4). While all the assumptions made could affect the NPV of the project, the major concern that could erode the value of the project is whether Aurora can survive for 10 years. In our early termination
All relevant costs located in worksheets #2, and #3 indicate that Shamrock manufacturing will benefit by replacing the machines at either equipment cost. However, worksheet #1 presents a problem for Mr. Fitzgerald as it shows a $6500 increase in the first year expenses, which are irrelevant in the long-run, but may encourage Mr. Fitzgerald not to purchase the new equipment because it may reflect badly on the short-run net operating income of his plant during the evaluation period for his promotion. Worksheet #3 offers a breakeven scenario in the first year and a $24,000 reduction in relevant cash flows in year two, which is the best option for Mr. Fitzgerald and Shamrock, if available.
As a member of management Clive Jenkins is responsible for boosting employee morale to ensure that company goals are met
The following report includes selected financial data analyzing the performance of our company Life Through the Lens for year 12. Included is our strategy for the current year, future initiatives for our four regions, our competitor analysis, and reasons our company has not been improving as well as we had projected. At the moment our company’s current position is not up to par with our previous years regarding where our company is standing among our competitors. Please refer to Table 1.0 above to further understand our company’s performance for the end of year 12.
prices for lululemon-branded items that offered performance, fit, and comfort and were stylish as well. The
Harlequin Enterprises has dominated the series romance fiction novel market since the 1970’s. Harlequin has fought off every major competitor in this genre and maintained consistent performance for multiple decades. Brand loyalty, worldwide production capabilities, production efficiencies, creative control, and distribution are the strengths that Harlequin utilizes to dominate the series romance genre.
An investment that is not one of the three traditional asset types such as stocks, bond and cash are considered as an alternative investment. “These types of investments include hedge funds, managed futures, real estate, commodities and derivative contracts.” (www.investopedia.com). These are subject to less regulation and use leverage and derivative instruments to optimize their returns. “In spite of many pensions and private endowments beginning to invest in these funds, the portion apportioned to them is still small usually less than 10%.” (www.investopedia.com). An alternative investment differs from publicly traded investments in three main ways:
Loblaw Companies Limited is a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, and Canada's largest food retailer and a leading provider of general merchandise. With more than a 1,000 corporate and franchised stores in Canada, it employs approximately 134,000 employees. Through its portfolio of store format and diversified products and services, the company is committed to meet the everyday household demands of Canadian consumers (Loblaw, Press release 2013). Loblaws has a strong private label program which includes President’s Choice, Joe Fresh and No Name brands. A combination of food selection and clothing accessories. It also offers a loyalty program and financial services for their customers. Before acquiring Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws decided to
The applicants are morally correct as long as their action promotes their long term interest. If their action produces or will produce for them a greater outcome of good, versus evil in the long hall than any other alternative, than that action is the right one to act on, and the individual should take that to be a moral act. An Assessment of Morality by Ethicsinbusiness.net
There is a projected inflation rate of 3%. Applying this rate to all costs, minus depreciation, we find that the effect is a lower NPV and raise the EAC for both decisions. However, purchasing the Vulcan machine still remains to have the lower EAC. Thus, all other things equal, the purchasing the Vulcan seems to quantitatively be the better decision. There are also a few other small impacts which are not factored into the EAC. The Vulcan frees up 15% of floor space and also has a maximum capacity that is 30% higher than the current machines. In the near future this may be irrelevant because there is no need for more floor space and the current machines are only operating at 90% capacity as it is, but these should still be considered added benefits as unforeseeable market conditions over the next eight years may warrant the need for added capacity.
1. Please assess the economic benefits of acquiring the Vulcan Mold-Maker machine. What is the initial outlay? What are the benefits over time? What is an appropriate discount rate? Does the net present value(NPV) warrant the investment in the machine?
- We believe that breaking out the data by studio is an advantage because it provides direction.
The fur trading industry played a major role in the development of the United States and Canada for more than 300 years. The fur trade began in the 1500's as an exchange between Indians and Europeans. The Indians traded furs for such goods as tools and weapons. Beaver fur, which was used in Europe to make felt hats, became the most valuable of these furs. The fur trade prospered until the mid-1800, when fur-bearing animals became scarce and silk hats became more popular than felt hats made with beaver. Traders and trappers explored much of North America in search of fur. They built trading posts in the wilderness, and settlements grew up around many of these posts. Some of these settlements later became such major cities as Detroit, New Orleans, and St. Louis in the United States; and Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec, and Winnipeg in Canada.
The first of these concerns would be the financial situation of Aurora Textiles as a whole. We have historically been a very strong company who has been seen as one of the premier companies in the textile industry. As of late we have posted less than stellar numbers though. In each of the last four years, we have posted negative net earnings. This is troubling and if this continues it could lead to us having to liquidate the company. With the current cash burn rate that we are on, our company will be bankrupt in 7.86 years. When evaluating the Zinser project we will look at this as the tentative cutoff date for when we can realize the cash flows for this project. Although we have been struggling financially and have an approaching timeline for turning the company around, we find that this only gives us more of an urgency to invest in the Zinser. First of all, when looking at the discounted payback period for the project, we have discounted back the cash flows for the project and found that the current payback period is 4.07 years. This is encouraging as it is well before the 7.86 year deadline we are on. Having a relatively small payback period is important to us because of the struggles we have had lately. Since this project fits our time horizon, we can look at what this project will do for our
Polyethylene is the world’s most widely used plastic. Polyethylene plastic’s principal application was in packaging, from trash bags to milk jugs. It was widely used in the manufacture of everything from trash bags, picnic cutlery and garbage pails, to plastic toys. Polyethylene also replaced glass, wood, and metal in certain applications.
Sales for the Executive Shirt Company are constituted of only a few basic styles and colours. Hence the company has a limited number of varieties to produce. So, it has large batches of each kind of shirt (size and color).