Question

Dreamtime Jewellers Limited (DJL) is a small network of jewellery stores and DJL is considering building a new store. The new store costs $2.5 million and managers plan to partly fund the store with a $1 million five-year bank loan.

In addition, DJL must spend $150,000 on excavation before they build the new store. Because this expense will reduce the new store’s profitability, managers have suggested that the excavation expense be spread out equally over the five-year analysis period.

The ATO states that excavation qualifies as a business expense in the year incurred. DJL has already spent $100,000 conducting market research to determine the most lucrative location for a new store.

If the directors approve the new store DJL anticipates that it will require an additional $400,000 of inventory today on top of the existing level of $1.5 million, and accounts payable will increase by $270,000. The accounts receivable balance will increase from the current level of $5.4 million to $6.2 million if the new store proceeds.

DJL must dispose of $120,000 of redundant jewellery equipment today if the new store is approved. The equipment initially cost $300,000 four years ago and is fully depreciated for tax purposes. Assume the company tax rate is 30%.

What are the 'cash flows at the start'?

Answer 1

The question requires to calculate the cash flows at the start.

	Given
	Total Project Funding Requirement (Not actual cash received)	$2.5 Mn
Inflow	Bank Loan Rcd	$10,00,000
Outflow	Excavation Exp Incurred At Start	$150,000
Outflow	Market Research Cost	$100,000
Outflow	Cost of Addnl Inventory Purchase	$400,000
Inflow	Increase in Accounts Payable i.e. Cash Comes in as payment is delayed	$270,000
Outflow	Increase in Accounts Receivable i.e. Cash outflow is delayed (Reduces cash in hand) (6.2 Mn - 5.4 Mn)	$800,000
Inflow	Proceeds from sale of Jewellery Equipment (Fully depreciated i.e. full amount subject to tax)	$120,000
	Tax Rate	30%
Outflow	Tax on sale on Jewellery Equipment ($120,000*30%)	$36,000
	Net Cashflow = Total Inflows - Total Outflows
	Net Cashflow = 10,00,000 - 150,000 - 100,000 - 400,000 + 270,000 - 800,000 - 36000 + 120,000
	Net Cashflow = -96,000 (Outflow)
	If we assume that at the start they managed to raise entire $2.5 Mn, then the Net Cash at start = $2.5 Mn - $96,000
	Net Cash Flow at start in this case = $2,404,000