Exam 11: Cash Flow Estimation and Risk Analysis

Suppose a firm's CFO thinks that an externality is present in a project, but that it cannot be quantified with any precision--estimates of its effect would really just be guesses. In this case, the externality should be ignored--i.e., not considered at all--because if it were considered it would make the analysis appear more precise than it really is.

Dalrymple Inc. is considering production of a new product. In evaluating whether to go ahead with the project, which of the following items should NOT be explicitly considered when cash flows are estimated?

Accelerated depreciation has an advantage for profitable firms in that it moves some cash flows forward, thus increasing their present value. On the other hand, using accelerated depreciation generally lowers the reported current year's profits because of the higher depreciation expenses. However, the reported profits problem can be solved by using different depreciation methods for tax and stockholder reporting purposes.

Clemson Software is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The required equipment has a 3-year tax life, after which it will be worthless, and it will be depreciated by the straight-line method over 3 years. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 3-year life. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A firm is considering a new project whose risk is greater than the risk of the firm's average project, based on all methods for assessing risk. In evaluating this project, it would be reasonable for management to do which of the following?

If a firm's projects differ in risk, then one way of handling this problem is to evaluate each project with the appropriate risk-adjusted discount rate.

Which of the following is NOT a relevant cash flow and thus should not be reflected in the analysis of a capital budgeting project?

Which of the following rules is CORRECT for capital budgeting analysis?

The use of accelerated versus straight-line depreciation causes net income reported to stockholders to be lower, and cash flows higher, during every year of a project's life, other things held constant.

Liberty Services is now at the end of the final year of a project. The equipment originally cost $22,500, of which 75% has been depreciated. The firm can sell the used equipment today for $6,000, and its tax rate is 40%. What is the equipment's after-tax salvage value for use in a capital budgeting analysis? Note that if the equipment's final market value is less than its book value, the firm will receive a tax credit as a result of the sale.

As assistant to the CFO of Boulder Inc., you must estimate the Year 1 cash flow for a project with the following data. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

As a member of UA Corporation's financial staff, you must estimate the Year 1 cash flow for a proposed project with the following data. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

In cash flow estimation, the existence of externalities should be taken into account if those externalities have any effects on the firm's long-run cash flows.

Rowell Company spent $3 million two years ago to build a plant for a new product. It then decided not to go forward with the project, so the building is available for sale or for a new product. Rowell owns the building free and clear--there is no mortgage on it. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Changes in net working capital should not be reflected in a capital budgeting cash flow analysis because capital budgeting relates to fixed assets, not working capital.

Florida Car Wash is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The equipment to be used has a 3-year tax life, would be depreciated on a straight-line basis over the project's 3-year life, and would have a zero salvage value after Year 3. No new working capital would be required. Revenues and other operating costs will be constant over the project's life, and this is just one of the firm's many projects, so any losses on it can be used to offset profits in other units. If the number of cars washed declined by 40% from the expected level, by how much would the project's NPV decline? (Hint: Note that cash flows are constant at the Year 1 level, whatever that level is.)

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Temple Corp. is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The equipment that would be used has a 3-year tax life, would be depreciated by the straight-line method over its 3-year life, and would have a zero salvage value. No new working capital would be required. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 3-year life. What is the project's NPV?

Suppose Tapley Inc. uses a WACC of 8% for below-average risk projects, 10% for average-risk projects, and 12% for above-average risk projects. Which of the following independent projects should Tapley accept, assuming that the company uses the NPV method when choosing projects?