Concept explainers
You are CEO of Rivet Networks, maker of ultra-high performance network cards for gaming computers, and you are considering whether to launch a new product. The product, the Killer X3000, will cost $900,000 to develop upfront (year 0), and you expect revenues the first year of $800,000, growing to $1.5 million the second year, and then declining by 40% per year for the next 3 years before the product is fully obsolete. In years 1 through 5, you will have fixed costs associated with the product of $ 100,000 per year, and variable costs equal to 50% of revenues.
a. What are the cash flows for the project in years 0 through 5?
b. Plot the
10% increments.
c. What is the project's NPV if the project's cost of capital is 10%?
d. Use the NPV profile to estimate the cost of capital at which the project would become unprofitable; that is, estimate the project's
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Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (4th Edition) (Berk DeMarzo & Harford The Corporate Finance Series)
- The J.R. Ryland Computer Company is considering a plant expansion to enable the company to begin production of a new computer product. The companys president must determine whether to make the expansion a medium- or large-scale project. Demand for the new product is uncertain, which for planning purposes may be low demand, medium demand, or high demand. The probability estimates for demand are 0.20, 0.50, and 0.30, respectively. Letting x and y indicate the annual profit in thousands of dollars, the firms planners developed the following profit forecasts for the medium-and large-scale expansion projects. a. Compute the expected value for the profit associated with the two expansion alternatives. Which decision is preferred for the objective of maximizing the expected profit? b. Compute the variance for the profit associated with the two expansion alternatives. Which decision is preferred for the objective of minimizing the risk or uncertainty?arrow_forwardAustins cell phone manufacturer wants to upgrade their product mix to encompass an exciting new feature on their cell phone. This would require a new high-tech machine. You are excited about his new project and are recommending the purchase to your board of directors. Here is the information you have compiled in order to complete this recommendation: According to the information, the project will last 10 years and require an initial investment of $800,000, depreciated with straight-line over the life of the project until the final value is zero. The firms tax rate is 30% and the required rate of return is 12%. You believe that the variable cost and sales volume may be as much as 10% higher or lower than the initial estimate. Your boss understands the risks but asks you to explain the alternatives in a brief memo to the board, Write a memo to the Board of Directors objectively weighing out the pros and cons of this project and make your recommendation(s).arrow_forwardShonda & Shonda is a company that does land surveys and engineering consulting. They have an opportunity to purchase new computer equipment that will allow them to render their drawings and surveys much more quickly. The new equipment will cost them an additional $1.200 per month, but they will be able to increase their sales by 10% per year. Their current annual cost and break-even figures are as follows: A. What will be the impact on the break-even point if Shonda & Shonda purchases the new computer? B. What will be the impact on net operating income if Shonda & Shonda purchases the new computer? C. What would be your recommendation to Shonda & Shonda regarding this purchase?arrow_forward
- I know that its the thing to do, insisted Pamela Kincaid, vice president of finance for Colgate Manufacturing. If we are going to be competitive, we need to build this completely automated plant. Im not so sure, replied Bill Thomas, CEO of Colgate. The savings from labor reductions and increased productivity are only 4 million per year. The price tag for this factoryand its a small oneis 45 million. That gives a payback period of more than 11 years. Thats a long time to put the companys money at risk. Yeah, but youre overlooking the savings that well get from the increase in quality, interjected John Simpson, production manager. With this system, we can decrease our waste and our rework time significantly. Those savings are worth another million dollars per year. Another million will only cut the payback to about 9 years, retorted Bill. Ron, youre the marketing managerdo you have any insights? Well, there are other factors to consider, such as service quality and market share. I think that increasing our product quality and improving our delivery service will make us a lot more competitive. I know for a fact that two of our competitors have decided against automation. Thatll give us a shot at their customers, provided our product is of higher quality and we can deliver it faster. I estimate that itll increase our net cash benefits by another 2.4 million. Wow! Now thats impressive, Bill exclaimed, nearly convinced. The payback is now getting down to a reasonable level. I agree, said Pamela, but we do need to be sure that its a sound investment. I know that estimates for construction of the facility have gone as high as 48 million. I also know that the expected residual value, after the 20 years of service we expect to get, is 5 million. I think I had better see if this project can cover our 14% cost of capital. Now wait a minute, Pamela, Bill demanded. You know that I usually insist on a 20% rate of return, especially for a project of this magnitude. Required: 1. Compute the NPV of the project by using the original savings and investment figures. Calculate by using discount rates of 14% and 20%. Include salvage value in the computation. 2. Compute the NPV of the project using the additional benefits noted by the production and marketing managers. Also, use the original cost estimate of 45 million. Again, calculate for both possible discount rates. 3. Compute the NPV of the project using all estimates of cash flows, including the possible initial outlay of 48 million. Calculate by using discount rates of 14% and 20%. 4. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION If you were making the decision, what would you do? Explain.arrow_forwardNico Parts, Inc., produces electronic products with short life cycles (of less than two years). Development has to be rapid, and the profitability of the products is tied strongly to the ability to find designs that will keep production and logistics costs low. Recently, management has also decided that post-purchase costs are important in design decisions. Last month, a proposal for a new product was presented to management. The total market was projected at 200,000 units (for the two-year period). The proposed selling price was 130 per unit. At this price, market share was expected to be 25 percent. The manufacturing and logistics costs were estimated to be 120 per unit. Upon reviewing the projected figures, Brian Metcalf, president of Nico, called in his chief design engineer, Mark Williams, and his marketing manager, Cathy McCourt. The following conversation was recorded: BRIAN: Mark, as you know, we agreed that a profit of 15 per unit is needed for this new product. Also, as I look at the projected market share, 25 percent isnt acceptable. Total profits need to be increased. Cathy, what suggestions do you have? CATHY: Simple. Decrease the selling price to 125 and we expand our market share to 35 percent. To increase total profits, however, we need some cost reductions as well. BRIAN: Youre right. However, keep in mind that I do not want to earn a profit that is less than 15 per unit. MARK: Does that 15 per unit factor in preproduction costs? You know we have already spent 100,000 on developing this product. To lower costs will require more expenditure on development. BRIAN: Good point. No, the projected cost of 120 does not include the 100,000 we have already spent. I do want a design that will provide a 15-per-unit profit, including consideration of preproduction costs. CATHY: I might mention that post-purchase costs are important as well. The current design will impose about 10 per unit for using, maintaining, and disposing our product. Thats about the same as our competitors. If we can reduce that cost to about 5 per unit by designing a better product, we could probably capture about 50 percent of the market. I have just completed a marketing survey at Marks request and have found out that the current design has two features not valued by potential customers. These two features have a projected cost of 6 per unit. However, the price consumers are willing to pay for the product is the same with or without the features. Required: 1. Calculate the target cost associated with the initial 25 percent market share. Does the initial design meet this target? Now calculate the total life-cycle profit that the current (initial) design offers (including preproduction costs). 2. Assume that the two features that are apparently not valued by consumers will be eliminated. Also assume that the selling price is lowered to 125. a. Calculate the target cost for the 125 price and 35 percent market share. b. How much more cost reduction is needed? c. What are the total life-cycle profits now projected for the new product? d. Describe the three general approaches that Nico can take to reduce the projected cost to this new target. Of the three approaches, which is likely to produce the most reduction? 3. Suppose that the Engineering Department has two new designs: Design A and Design B. Both designs eliminate the two nonvalued features. Both designs also reduce production and logistics costs by an additional 8 per unit. Design A, however, leaves post-purchase costs at 10 per unit, while Design B reduces post-purchase costs to 4 per unit. Developing and testing Design A costs an additional 150,000, while Design B costs an additional 300,000. Assuming a price of 125, calculate the total life-cycle profits under each design. Which would you choose? Explain. What if the design you chose cost an additional 500,000 instead of 150,000 or 300,000? Would this have changed your decision? 4. Refer to Requirement 3. For every extra dollar spent on preproduction activities, how much benefit was generated? What does this say about the importance of knowing the linkages between preproduction activities and later activities?arrow_forwardAt Stardust Gems, a faux gem and jewelry company, the setting department is a bottleneck. The company is considering hiring an extra worker, whose salary will be $67,000 per year, to ease the problem. Using the extra worker, the company will be able to produce and sell 9,000 more units per year. The selling price per unit is $20. The cost per unit currently is $15.85 as shown: What is the annual financial impact of hiring the extra worker for the bottleneck process?arrow_forward
- Hemmingway, Inc. is considering a $5 million research and development (R&D) project. Profit projections appear promising, but Hemmingway’s president is concerned because the probability that the R&D project will be successful is only 0.50. Furthermore, the president knows that even if the project is successful, it will require that the company build a new production facility at a cost of $20 million in order to manufacture the product. If the facility is built, uncertainty remains about the demand and thus uncertainty about the profit that will be realized. Another option is that if the R&D project is successful, the company could sell the rights to the product for an estimated $25 million. Under this option, the company would not build the $20 million production facility. The decision tree follows. The profit projection for each outcome is shown at the end of the branches. For example, the revenue projection for the high demand outcome is $59 million. However, the cost of the R&D project ($5 million) and the cost of the production facility ($20 million) show the profit of this outcome to be $59 – $5 – $20 = $34 million. Branch probabilities are also shown for the chance events. Analyze the decision tree to determine whether the company should undertake the R&D project. If it does, and if the R&D project is successful, what should the company do? What is the expected value of your strategy? What must the selling price be for the company to consider selling the rights to the product? Develop a risk profile for the optimal strategy.arrow_forwardMallette Manufacturing, Inc., produces washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers. Because of increasing competition, Mallette is considering investing in an automated manufacturing system. Since competition is most keen for dishwashers, the production process for this line has been selected for initial evaluation. The automated system for the dishwasher line would replace an existing system (purchased one year ago for 6 million). Although the existing system will be fully depreciated in nine years, it is expected to last another 10 years. The automated system would also have a useful life of 10 years. The existing system is capable of producing 100,000 dishwashers per year. Sales and production data using the existing system are provided by the Accounting Department: All cash expenses with the exception of depreciation, which is 6 per unit. The existing equipment is being depreciated using straight-line with no salvage value considered. The automated system will cost 34 million to purchase, plus an estimated 20 million in software and implementation. (Assume that all investment outlays occur at the beginning of the first year.) If the automated equipment is purchased, the old equipment can be sold for 3 million. The automated system will require fewer parts for production and will produce with less waste. Because of this, the direct material cost per unit will be reduced by 25 percent. Automation will also require fewer support activities, and as a consequence, volume-related overhead will be reduced by 4 per unit and direct fixed overhead (other than depreciation) by 17 per unit. Direct labor is reduced by 60 percent. Assume, for simplicity, that the new investment will be depreciated on a pure straight-line basis for tax purposes with no salvage value. Ignore the half-life convention. The firms cost of capital is 12 percent, but management chooses to use 20 percent as the required rate of return for evaluation of investments. The combined federal and state tax rate is 40 percent. Required: 1. Compute the net present value for the old system and the automated system. Which system would the company choose? 2. Repeat the net present value analysis of Requirement 1, using 12 percent as the discount rate. 3. Upon seeing the projected sales for the old system, the marketing manager commented: Sales of 100,000 units per year cannot be maintained in the current competitive environment for more than one year unless we buy the automated system. The automated system will allow us to compete on the basis of quality and lead time. If we keep the old system, our sales will drop by 10,000 units per year. Repeat the net present value analysis, using this new information and a 12 percent discount rate. 4. An industrial engineer for Mallette noticed that salvage value for the automated equipment had not been included in the analysis. He estimated that the equipment could be sold for 4 million at the end of 10 years. He also estimated that the equipment of the old system would have no salvage value at the end of 10 years. Repeat the net present value analysis using this information, the information in Requirement 3, and a 12 percent discount rate. 5. Given the outcomes of the previous four requirements, comment on the importance of providing accurate inputs for assessing investments in automated manufacturing systems.arrow_forwardYou are the CFO of Carla Vista, Inc., a retailer of the exercise machine Slimbody6 and related accessories. Your firm is considering opening up a new store in Los Angeles. The store will have a life of 20 years. It will generate annual sales of 4,000exercise machines, and the price of each machine is $2,500. The annual sales of accessories will be $600,000, and the operating expenses of running the store, including labor and rent, will amount to 50percent of the revenues from the exercise machines. The initial investment in the store will equal $26,800,000 and will be fully depreciated on a straight-line basis over the 20-year life of the store. Your firm will need to invest $3,000,000 in additional working capital immediately, and recover it at the end of the investment. Your firm’s marginal tax rate is 30 percent. The opportunity cost of opening up the store is 13.70 percent. What are the incremental free cash flows from this project at the beginning of the project as well as in…arrow_forward
- ABC Co is considering the launch of a new widget. If the product goes directly to the market, there is a 60% chance of success. For $500,000, the manager can conduct a focus group to increase the probability of success to 65%. Alternatively, the manager can pay a consulting firm $750,000 to research the market and refine the product. The consulting firm successfully launches new products 70% of the time. If the firm successfully launches the widget, the payoff will be $8 million. If the product is a failure, the NPV is $0. Calculate the expected NPV if the managers go directly to the market.arrow_forwardGidget has a new widget to bring to market. If the firm goes directly to market with the product, there is a 60% chance of success. However, the firm can conduct customer segment research, which will take a year and cost $5,000,000. By going through research, the company can better target potential customers and increase the probability of success to 75%. If successful, the widget will bring a present value profit (at the time of initial selling) of $90 million. If unsuccessful, the present value profit is only $15 million. The appropriate discount rate is 10%. Calculate the NPV for conducting customer segment research. (Enter whole numbers, e.g. 5 million should be 5,000,000)arrow_forwardPerot Corporation is developing a new CPU chip based on a new type of technology. Its new chip, the Patay2 chip, will take two years to develop. However, because other chip manufacturers will be able to copy the technology, it will have a market life of two years after it is introduced. Perot expects to be able to price the chip higher in the first year, and it anticipates a significant production cost reduction after the first year as well. The relevant information for developing and selling the Patay2 is given as follows: PATAY2 CHIP PRODUCT ESTIMATES Development cost $ 20,000,000 Pilot testing $ 5,000,000 Debug $ 2,700,000 Ramp-up cost $ 3,000,000 Advance marketing $ 4,400,000 Marketing and support cost $ 1,000,000 per year Unit production cost year 1 $ 655.00 Unit production cost year 2 $ 545.00 Unit price year 1 $ 820.00 Unit price year 2 $ 650.00 Sales and production volume year 1 250,000 Sales and production volume year 2…arrow_forward
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