Exam 11: Cash Flow Estimation and Risk Analysis

Desai Industries is analyzing an average-risk project, and the following data have been developed. Unit sales will be constant, but the sales price should increase with inflation. Fixed costs will also be constant, but variable costs should rise with inflation. The project should last for 3 years, it will be depreciated on a straight- line basis, and there will be no salvage value. This is just one of many projects for the firm, so any losses can be used to offset gains on other firm projects. What is the project's expected NPV?

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Superior analytical techniques, such as NPV, used in combination with risk-adjusted cost of capital estimates, can overcome the problem of poor cash flow estimation and lead to generally correct accept/reject decisions.

The two cardinal rules that financial analysts should follow to avoid capital budgeting errors are: (1) in the NPV equation, the numerator should use income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and (2) all incremental cash flows should be considered when making accept/reject decisions.

The relative risk of a proposed project is best accounted for by which of the following procedures?

A company is considering a new project. The CFO plans to calculate the project's NPV by estimating the relevant cash flows for each year of the project's life (i.e., the initial investment cost, the annual operating cash flows, and the terminal cash flow), then discounting those cash flows at the company's overall WACC. Which one of the following factors should the CFO be sure to INCLUDE in the cash flows when estimating the relevant cash flows?

Although it is extremely difficult to make accurate forecasts of the revenues that a project will generate, projects' initial outlays and subsequent costs can be forecasted with great accuracy. This is especially true for large product development projects.

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A company is considering a proposed new plant that would increase productive capacity. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Taussig Technologies is considering two potential projects, X and Y. In assessing the projects' risks, the company estimated the beta of each project versus both the company's other assets and the stock market, and it also conducted thorough scenario and simulation analyses. This research produced the following data: Correlation of the project cash flows with cash flows from currently existing projects. Cash flows are not correlated with the cash flows from existing projects. Cash flows are highly correlated with the cash flows from existing projects. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Since the focus of capital budgeting is on cash flows rather than on net income, changes in noncash balance sheet accounts such as inventory are not included in a capital budgeting analysis.

Foley Systems is considering a new investment whose data are shown below. The equipment would be depreciated on a straight-line basis over the project's 3-year life, would have a zero salvage value, and would require some additional working capital that would be recovered at the end of the project's life. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's life. What is the project's NPV? (Hint: Cash flows are constant in Years 1 to 3.)

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

It is extremely difficult to estimate the revenues and costs associated with large, complex projects that take several years to develop. This is why subjective judgment is often used for such projects along with discounted cash flow analysis.

Langston Labs has an overall (composite) WACC of 10%, which reflects the cost of capital for its average asset. Its assets vary widely in risk, and Langston evaluates low-risk projects with a WACC of 8%, average-risk projects at 10%, and high-risk projects at 12%. The company is considering the following projects: Which set of projects would maximize shareholder wealth?

Which of the following factors should be included in the cash flows used to estimate a project's NPV?

Which of the following should be considered when a company estimates the cash flows used to analyze a proposed project?

When evaluating a new project, firms should include in the projected cash flows all of the following EXCEPT:

Suppose Walker Publishing Company is considering bringing out a new finance text whose projected revenues include some revenues that will be taken away from another of Walker's books. The lost sales on the older book are a sunk cost and as such should not be considered in the analysis for the new book.