In: Accounting
Comfy Corporation manufactures furniture in several divisions,
including the patio furniture division. The manager of the patio
furniture division plans to retire in two years.
The manager receives a bonus based on the division’s ROI, which is
currently 7%.
One of the machines that the patio furniture division uses to
manufacture the furniture is rather old,
and the manager must decide whether to replace it. The new machine
would cost $35,000 and would last
10 years. It would have no salvage value. The old machine is fully
depreciated and has no trade-in value.
Comfy uses straight-line depreciation for all assets. The new
machine, being new and more efficient, would
save the company $5,000 per year in cash operating costs. The only
difference between cash flow and net
income is depreciation. The internal rate of return of the project
is approximately 7%. Comfy Corporation’s
weighted-average cost of capital is 5%. Comfy is not subject to any
income taxes.
1. Should Comfy Corporation replace the machine? Why or why
not?
2. Assume that “investment” is defined as average net long-term
assets (that is, after depreciation) during the year. Compute the
project’s ROI for each of its first five years. If the patio
furniture manager is
interested in maximizing his bonus, would he replace the machine
before he retires? Why or why not?
3. What can Comfy do to entice the manager to replace the machine
before retiring?