In: Finance
Case One (22 pts) Ferengi, Inc. is subject to an applicable corporate tax rate of 21 percent, and the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of 12.5 percent. There is no specific time constraint on investment project payback requirements.
Q1: Ferengi is currently contemplating two capital investment plans. Plan A: the upgrade of an information system with an installed cost of $2,400,000. The upgrade system will be depreciated straight-line to zero over the project’s five-year life, at the end of which the system will be worth $400,000 at the market. The system upgrade will not affect sales, but will save the firm $700,000 per year in pretax operating costs; and the upgrade will increase the working efficiency and reduce the net working capital expenditure by $300,000 at the beginning year.
What is the NPV of Plan A? What is the IRR of Plan A? Should Ferengi accept or reject Plan A?
Q2: Instead of Plan A, Ferengi can alternatively choose Plan B: allocate the $2,400,000 capital budget to develop a new product line. The new product line will be depreciated straight-line to zero over the project’s ten-year life, at the end of which the system will be worth $100,000. The new product line will not only add the firm $830,000 per year in sales, but also add $200,000 per year in pretax operating costs; and the new project line requires an initial investment in net working capital of $300,000 at the beginning year.
What would be the NPV of Plan B? What would be the IRR of Plan B? If these two plans are mutually exclusive, shall Ferengi finally choose Plan A or B?
1]
Project Cash flows :
year 0 = installed cost - reduction in working capital
Years 1 to 4 = (Increase in EBIT - taxes + depreciation)
Year 5 = (Increase in EBIT - taxes + depreciation) + after tax salvage value - reversal of working capital
NPV is calculated using NPV function in Excel = $236,778
IRR is calculated using IRR function in Excel = 16.98%
2]
Project Cash flows :
year 0 = installed cost + increase in working capital
Years 1 to 9 = (Increase in EBIT - taxes + depreciation)
Year 10 = (Increase in EBIT - taxes + depreciation) + after tax salvage value + return of working capital
NPV is calculated using NPV function in Excel = $751,229
IRR is calculated using IRR function in Excel = 19.51%
Project B should be chosen as it has a higher NPV and IRR