Exam 12: Estimating Cash Flows on Capital Budgeting Projects

For which situation below would one need to "smooth out" the variation in each set of cash flows so that each becomes a perpetuity?

Concerning incremental project cash flow, this is a cost one would never count as an expense of the project.

Your company has spent $200,000 on research to develop a new computer game. The firm is planning to spend $40,000 on a machine to produce the new game. Shipping and installation costs of the machine will be capitalized and depreciated; they total $5,000. The machine has an expected life of 3 years, a $25,000 estimated resale value, and falls under the MACRS 5-Year class life. Revenue from the new game is expected to be $300,000 per year, with costs of $100,000 per year. The firm has a tax rate of 35 percent, an opportunity cost of capital of 14 percent, and it expects net working capital to increase by $50,000 at the beginning of the project. What will be the operating cash flow for year one of this project?

Your company is considering the purchase of a new machine. The original cost of the old machine was $100,000; it is now 5 years old, and it has a current market value of $40,000. The old machine is being depreciated over a 10-year life toward a zero estimated salvage value on a straight-line basis, resulting in a current book value of $50,000 and an annual depreciation expense of $10,000. The old machine can be used for 6 more years but has no market value after its depreciable life is over. Management is contemplating the purchase of a new machine whose cost is $80,000 and whose estimated salvage value is zero. Expected before-tax cash savings from the new machine are $13,000 a year over its full MACRS depreciable life. Depreciation is computed using MACRS over a 5-year life, and the cost of capital is 10 percent. Assume a 40 percent tax rate. What will the year 1 operating cash flow for this project be?

Your firm needs a computerized machine tool lathe which costs $50,000, requires $10,000 in installation and another $12,000 in maintenance for each year of its 3-year life. After 3 years, this machine will be replaced. The machine falls into the MACRS 3-year class life category. Assume a tax rate of 30% and a discount rate of 12%. If the lathe can be sold for $7,000 at the end of year 3, what is the after-tax salvage value?

You are trying to pick the least-expensive car for your new delivery service. You have two choices: the Scion xA, which will cost $15,000 to purchase and which will have OCF of -$1,600 annually throughout the vehicle's expected life of four years as a delivery vehicle; and the Toyota Prius, which will cost $27,000 to purchase and which will have OCF of -$750 annually throughout that vehicle's expected six-year life. Both cars will be worthless at the end of their life. If you intend to replace whichever type of car you choose with the same thing when its life runs out, again and again out into the foreseeable future, and if your business has a cost of capital of 10 percent, what is the EAC of the most expensive car?

Suppose you sell a fixed asset for $99,000 when its book value is $75,000. If your company's marginal tax rate is 39 percent, what is the pre-tax gain or loss on the sale of the asset?

Your company is considering a new project that will require $100,000 of new equipment at the start of the project. The equipment will have a depreciable life of 10 years and will be depreciated to a book value of $5,000 using straight-line depreciation. The cost of capital is 14%, and the firm's tax rate is 30%. Estimate the present value of the tax benefits from depreciation.

You are trying to pick the least-expensive machine for your company. You have two choices: machine A, which will cost $50,000 to purchase and which will have OCF of -$3,500 annually throughout the machine's expected life of three years; and machine B, which will cost $75,000 to purchase and which will have OCF of -$4,900 annually throughout that machine's four-year life. Both machines will be worthless at the end of their life. If you intend to replace whichever type of machine you choose with the same thing when its life runs out, again and again out into the foreseeable future, and if your business has a cost of capital of 14 percent, which one should you choose?

The process of estimating expected future cash flows of a project using only the relevant parts of the balance sheet and income statements is referred to as the _________________.

When looking at these types of projects, one must consider any cash flows that arise from surrendering old equipment before the end of its useful life.

You are evaluating a project for your company. You estimate the sales price to be $10 per unit and sales volume to be 3,000 units in year 1; 10,000 units in year 2; and 1000 units in year 3. The project has a three-year life. Variable costs amount to $3 per unit and fixed costs are $25,000 per year. The project requires an initial investment of $50,000 in assets which will be depreciated straight-line to zero over the three-year project life. The actual market value of these assets at the end of year 3 is expected to be $10,000. NWC requirements at the beginning of each year will be approximately 25 percent of the projected sales during the coming year. The tax rate is 34 percent and the required return on the project is 15 percent. What is the operating cash flow for the project in year 2?

You are evaluating two different machines. Machine A costs $25,000, has a five-year life, and has an annual OCF (after tax) of -$6,000 per year. Machine B costs $30,000, has a seven-year life, and has an annual OCF (after tax) of -$5,500 per year. If your discount rate is 10 percent, using EAC which machine would you choose?

This is the IRS convention that requires that all property placed in service during a given period is assumed to be placed in service at the midpoint of that period.

You have been asked by the president of your company to evaluate the proposed acquisition of a new special-purpose truck for $75,000. The truck falls into the MACRS three-year class, and it will be sold after three years for $13,000. Use of the truck will require an increase in NWC (spare parts inventory) of $5,000. The truck will have no effect on revenues, but it is expected to save the firm $20,000 per year in before-tax operating costs, mainly labor. The firm's marginal tax rate is 40 percent. What will the operating cash flow for this project be during year 3?

A financial analyst calculated that the after-tax salvage value for a machine was $10,200. The current book value of the asset is $12,000 and the firm's tax rate is 30%. How much could the machine be sold for today?