Question

Duncan Street Company (DSC), a British company, is considering establishing an operation in the United States to assemble and distribute smart speakers. The initial investment is estimated to be 25,000,000 British pounds (GBP), which is equivalent to 30,000,000 U.S. dollars (USD) at the current exchange rate. Given the current corporate income tax rate in the United States, DSC estimates that total after-tax annual cash flow in each of the three years of the investment’s life would be US$10,000,000, US$12,000,000, and US$15,000,000, respectively. However, the U.S. national legislature is considering a reduction in the corporate income tax rate that would go into effect in the second year of the investment’s life and would result in the following total annual cash flows: US$10,000,000 in year 1, US$14,000,000 in year 2, and US$18,000,000 in year 3. DSC estimates the probability of the tax rate reduction occurring at 50 percent. DSC uses a discount rate of 12 percent in evaluating potential capital investments. Present value factors at 12 percent are as follows: Period PV Factor 1. . . . . . 0.893 2. . . . . . 0.797 3. . . . . . 0.712 The U.S. operation will distribute 100 percent of its after-tax annual cash flow to DSC as a dividend at the end of each year. The terminal value of the investment at the end of three years is estimated to be US$25,000,000. The U.S. withholding tax on dividends is 5 percent; repatriation of the investment’s terminal value will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Neither the dividends nor the terminal value received from the U.S. investment will be subject to British income tax. Exchange rates between the GBP and USD are forecasted as follows: Year 1 GBP 0.74 = USD 1.00 Year 2 GBP 0.70 = USD 1.00 Year 3 GBP 0.60= USD 1.00 Required:

A. Determine the expected net present value of the potential U.S. investment from a parent company perspective.

Answer 1

A. Determine the expected net present value of the potential U.S. investment from a parent company perspective.

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